Super Derby 40 is this Saturday!
Being the crazy horse lady on the radio, you know I have to tell you about all things horse related!
They call horse racing the 'Sport of Kings,' and you're going to be able to see one of the biggest races Louisiana has to offer this Saturday, September 7th at Harrah's Louisiana Downs. A field of Louisiana's finest 3-year-olds will take to the track for a purse worth $300,000! Festivities start at noon with plenty of racing action before the big event, a kid's area, a food truck face-off, a Super Derby ladies hat contest and more!
Here's what the folks at Harrah's Louisiana Downs have to say about the participating horses and the event itself thanks to Shelli Briery:
A quality field of 3-year-olds will run in Super Derby 40 at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs, on Saturday, September 7. The marquee day of the 2019 Louisiana Downs Thoroughbred meet will get underway at a special post time of 12:00 pm (Central).
Leading the field is Knicks Go owned by KRA Stud Farms, who has been installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite. The colt by Paynter out of the Outflanker mare Kosmo’s Buddy broke his maiden last July at Ellis Park and went on to a highly successful 2-year-old season for trainer Ben Colebrook. He attracted considerable attention last October when he pulled a huge upset in the Grade 1, Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. Dismissed by the betting public, he topped a full field of juveniles in gate-to-wire fashion at odds of 70-1. He followed that with a game runner-up finish in the Grade 1, Sentient Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs. The gray colt enters the Super Derby field with a career bankroll of $710,925 banked in 11 lifetime starts.
“He was very precocious early in his career,” said Colebrook. “I was not surprised he won the (Claiborne) Breeders’ Futurity; maybe more with the ease that he won the race. I believed he was better than his 70-1 odds, and he validated that in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. It was a thrill to win my first Grade 1 at Keeneland.”
Knicks Go has competed in four graded stakes in 2019 and most recently, ran second in the Ellis Park Derby on August 11.
“When he turned three, it took him a while to get back on track,” stated Colebrook. “But he has faced some tough horses, including Mr Money, who is the one of best 3-year-olds in the country. The Super Derby is a good spot for him; we are excited to be coming on Saturday.”
Colebrook confirmed that Knicks Go will leave Kentucky on Thursday and will be ridden by Colby Hernandez, who clinched the riding title at the recently concluded 2019 Evangeline Downs Thoroughbred meet with 95 wins.
“He’s never ridden for me before, but he’s one of the top riders in Louisiana and I know his brother (Brian) very well,” added Colebrook.
Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen is currently the second-leading money earning trainer in North America. Last year, he ran two horses in the Super Derby and won with longshot Limation for owner Michael Langford. He has two entrants again in this edition of the race: Rotation, a colt by Tapit, bred and owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC and Vangilder, winner of the $70,000 Charles Taylor Derby on July 20 at the Downs of Albuquerque for owner Chuck Hovitz.
Rotation was the favorite in the Super Derby Prelude, but stumbled out of the gate, almost unseating jockey Richard Eramia, but gamely battled to complete the superfecta.
“He grabbed himself pretty badly, but thankfully, is fully healed,” said Asmussen. “We had options for Vangilder, but thought this would be a good spot for him.”
Eramia returns aboard Rotation and Asmussen has give the call on Vangilder, a Kentucky-bred son of Paynter, to C. J. McMahon. He was the winning rider aboard 2016 Super Derby champion Texas Chrome.
Trainer Al Stall, Jr, who has won three previous editions of the Super Derby, will test stakes company for the first time with Adele B. Dilschneider‘s homebred Rescind. The lightly raced son of Blame broke his maiden and won a $19,000 allowance here on August 12. One of the most successful conditioners in Louisiana, Stall will be seeking his fourth victory in the Super Derby. He won the prestigious race in 2008 with My Pal Charlie and again two years later with Apart. Departing was the third winner for the New Orleans native in 2013.
Leader of Men, owned by Walpole Racing LLC won the $60,000 Super Derby Prelude on August 3, which was his fourth consecutive victory at Louisiana Downs. He stretched out to a mile and one-sixteenth for the first time, advancing comfortably to win his first career stakes in a final time of 1:46.96. The victory was celebrated by owner Kevin Walpole and his wife, Amy who reside in Haughton, Louisiana. His regular jockey, Hector Del-Cid will retain the mount. The bay gelding, who was a May 28th foal, is described as a “big kid, who is finally getting the hang of his job” by trainer Jodie Hodges.
“He goes to the track every morning,” said Hodges. “He loves what he does; we’re as pleased as punch with our horse.”
Four additional runners from the Super Derby Prelude are also entered in the Super Derby. They include Trevilion, owned by Tigertail Ranch and trained by Victor Arcenaeux, who ran second; Paynt Battle, the third-place finisher for Norman Stables, LLC and conditioner Lonnie Briley as well as Golden Tooth Ranch, LP’s Fredonian, who ran fifth in the mile and one-sixteenth main track event.
The field also includes Cabot, a son of Will Take Charge who will make his second stakes start for owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong. Trained by Ron Moquett, Cabot will be ridden by Marcelino Pedroza, who is currently the leading rider at Indiana Grand Race Course.
Trainer Grant Forster will send Pirate’s Punch, a son of Shanghai Bobby, who will make his stakes debut for the ownership group of Gulliver Racing LLC , Craig W. Drager and Dan Legan. Veteran jockey Robby Albarado, who is just returning off a wrist injury suffered in June at Churchill Downs, has the mount. The victory would be the third Super Derby score for Albarado, who won his first Super Derby in 2006 aboard Strong Contender and followed that with a win with Departing seven years later.
The Super Derby, which had its first running in 1980, has a distinguished list of past champions, including four Kentucky Derby winners, four Preakness Stakes winners, five Belmont Stakes winners and seven Travers Stakes winners. Six previous Super Derby entrants have won the prestigious Breeders' Cup Classic and three Super Derby winners, Tiznow, Sunday Silence and Alysheba have been voted the Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year, the industry's highest award.
“We were very pleased with the field entered for this year’s Super Derby,” said David Heitzmann, Louisiana Downs director of racing and racing secretary. “Our thanks go to both national and our Louisiana-based horsemen for their support and we look forward to an outstanding day of racing.”
Six Undercard Stakes Set for Super Derby Day
In addition to the Super Derby, six additional stakes will be contested on Saturday. A press release on the entrants for the following features will be sent tomorrow:
$60,000 Frank L. Brothers 3 YO & Up 1 1/16 miles (T)
$60,000 River Cities 3 YO & Up F&M 1 1/16 miles (T)
$60,000 Happy Ticket 2 YO Fillies One Mile (T)
$60,000 Sunday Silence 2 YO One Mile (T)
$60,000 A. L. (Red) Erwin 3 YO LA-Bred One Mile (T)
$60,000 Elge Rasberry 3 YO Fillies, LA-Bred One Mile (T)
Super Derby Festivities Set for Saturday, September 7
Several promotions and special events are planned for Super Derby 40 so that both racing fans and families will have an enjoyable afternoon at the racetrack.
Watch and wager on the Super Derby Card in the air-conditioned comfort of the Harrah’s Club. An All You Can Eat Buffet offering for $39.99 per person will be available, beginning at 11:00 am. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made by calling 318-752-6367. An upscale buffet, thee Super Derby 40 in the Sky, will also be available for $49.99 per person. Contact Jennifer Sokol at (318) 741-2512 as reservations are required.
At 10:30 am, a Jockey Meet and Greet and Autograph Signing will take place in the Harrah’s Louisiana Downs main entrance area. A photo of the riders will be available for $5.00 with the proceeds to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).
Louisiana Downs track announcer John McGary and regional racing publicist Martha Claussen will team up for a pre-race handicapping preview at 11:00 am in the Inside Rail, located on the first floor of the grandstand. They will offer detailed analysis of the Grade 3, $300,000 Super Derby as well as their selections for each of the races on the Super Derby card.
Rachel McLaughlin, racing production manager and on-air talent at Indiana Grand, also one of the Caesars Entertainment horse racing properties, will make an appearance at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs on Saturday, September 7 for Super Derby 40. She will conduct select paddock previews and post-race stakes interviews and offer selections for the entire card.
Family activities will get underway at 11:00 am, a Children’s Area will open on the Racing Apron. Face Painting is available for an additional charge. Children can join in the fun with the Super Derby Stilt Walkers and Hula Hoop Stars! Food Trucks from across the region will be serving up great local bites for purchase.
Also at 12:00 pm, registration begins for the Super Derby Ladies Hat Contest. Hats will be judged in three categories: Spirit of Louisiana, Classic and Most Original. The winners will receive $100 cash.
The Food Truck Face-Off will take place after the 3rd race. Competitors will have five minutes to scarf down some of the yummiest foods available for purchase on the Racing Apron. Seven popular local celebrities and three participants from the crowd will compete to win, not only bragging rights, but $250 in cash.
Super Derby 40 $5 Free Bet
Racing fans can swipe their Caesars Rewards card at the racing kiosks for a $5.00 Free Bet that can be redeemed on Saturday, September 14, 2019.
After the 6th Race Harrah’s Louisiana Downs Super Derby 40 Opening Ceremony will include a Proclamation by Bossier City Mayor Lorenz Walker, posting of the colors by the Bossier Sheriff’s Young Marines and The National Anthem performed by Billie Joe, Real Country Reality Singing Competition artist.