1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com
untapable named horse of the 2013-2014 meeting
· Vicar’s in Trouble Unanimously Named 3-Year-Old Male
· Palace Malice Unanimously Voted Best Older Horse Honors
· Class Included Unanimously Named Best Older Female Horse
· Skyring Elected Top Turf Horse of 2013-2014 Season
· Heitai Selected as Top Sprinter of the Season
· Sunbean Unanimously Named Best Older Louisiana-bred
· Artist Cry Accorded Best Louisiana-bred 3-Year-Old Honors
· Lucky Rave Elected Claimer of the Meet
By Graham Ross, Staff Writer
NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, March 30, 2014) –Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Untapable, 7 ¾-length heroine of Saturday’s 48th running of the prestigious Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks and 9 ½-length winner of the Grade III Rachel Alexandra Stakes before that, has been named Horse of the Meeting for the 142nd season at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Untapable’s next assignment is expected to come in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 2.
Five of the last nine Fair Grounds Oaks winners have parlayed their local victories to others in that same 3-year-old filly fixture at Louisville’s famous Twin Spires oval.
Untapable, who was also unanimously named 3-Year-Old Filly of the New Orleans season, is trained by Steve Asmussen.
Horse of the Meet and divisional honors were determined by a vote of media and racing officials at Fair Grounds.
VICAR’S IN TROUBLE UNANIMOUSLY NAMED BEST 3-YEAR-OLD MALE—Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Vicar’s in Trouble, winner of Saturday’s 101st running of the $1 million Louisiana Derby, was unanimously voted 3-Year-Old Male Horse honors. The Mike Maker-conditioned sophomore also won the Grade III Lecomte Stakes here Jan. 19 and finished third in the Grade II Risen Star Stakes Feb. 22 despite being handicapped by an outside post position.
Vicar’s in Trouble is expected to make his next start in the Kentucky Derby May 3 at Churchill Downs.
PALACE MALICE UNANIMOUSLY VOTED BEST OLDER HORSE HONORS —Dogwood Stable’s Palace Malice, who won Saturday Grade II New Orleans Handicap by 4 ¾-lengths at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, was unanimously named Best Older Horse of the meeting. The son of Curlin, who remains undefeated as a 4-year-old, is trained by Todd Pletcher and is also nationally remembered for his victory in last year’s Belmont Stakes.
CLASS INCLUDED UNANIMOUSLY NAMED BEST OLDER FEMALE HORSE—Brittlyn Stable’s Class Included, winner of the $60,000 Bayou Handicap here five weeks ago as well as the $60,000 Blushing K D Handicap in December, was unanimously voted Best Older Female Horse based on those two local stakes scores. The 6-year-old mare is trained by Ron Faucheux.
SKYRING ELECTED TOP TURF HORSE OF THE 2013-2014 MEETING—Calumet Farm’s Skyring, who won Saturday’s Grade II Mervin Muniz Memorial Handicap over the Stall-Wilson turf course at Fair Grounds and finished second by a nose in the Grade III Fair Grounds Handicap five weeks ago, was elected Top Turf Horse of the local season. Skyring is conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
HEITAI SELECTED TOP SPRINTER OF THE SEASON-- Rowell Enterprises’ Heitai was selected as Top Sprinter of the Fair Grounds season based on his victory over Maggi Moss’s Delaunay in the $100,000 Duncan Kenner Stakes here March 8. Delaunay won top sprinter honors last season and was also named Horse of the 141st Meeting. Trained by Karl Broberg, Heitai also won the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint here as well as the $60,000 Costa Rising Stakes.
SUNBEAN UNANIMOUSLY NAMED BEST OLDER LOUISIANA-BRED—Brittlyn Stable’s Sunbean, who won this season’s $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic and $60,000 Star Guitar Stakes, and also finished third in Saturday’s Grade II New Orleans Handicap, was named Best Older Louisiana-bred of the meeting. He is trained by Ron Faucheux.
ARTIST CRY ACCORDED BEST LOUISIANA-BRED 3-YEAR-OLD HONORS—Danny Brown and Wes Hawley’s Artist Cry, winner of the restricted $60,000 Sarah Lane’s Oates Stakes but also fifth in Saturday’s Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks, was named Best Louisiana-bred 3-Year-Old of the meeting. Wes Hawley is the trainer.
LUCKY RAVE ELECTED CLAIMER OF THE MEET—Ron Faucheux and Tom Arnaud’s British-bred Lucky Rave was elected Best Claimer of the Meeting based on his four victories at the local oval as well as his third-place finish in his last start when only beaten a half-length for the win.
About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the nation’s third-oldest racetrack, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 11 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 142nd Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 101st running of the $1 million Louisiana Derby – will run from November 22, 2013 through March 30, 2014. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.
-FG-
This Churchill Downs Incorporated communication (including any attachments) is intended for the use of the intended recipient(s) only and may contain information that is confidential, privileged or legally protected. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify the sender by return e-mail message and delete all copies of the original communication. Thank you for your cooperation.
