LOUISIANA DERBY
Race 8-Grade II, $400,000
Four-year-olds and up, 1 1/8 miles, 867h running
Jockey Jesse Campbell (Nates Mineshaft, winner): “You are seeing a horse that has just been blossoming.
“I tried to take him back and he wasn’t having any of it. He wanted to run. That’s where his mind is – full of confidence.”
“You know, ever since this horse won four races ago he’s just been blossoming. I was a little concerned in the first turn that we were going too fast and I actually tried to take him back a little bit. He wasn’t really having it so you know how good horses are, you let them be happy and run their race. When I hit the half mile pole, I mean, this horse was still in my hands, he was still kind of pulling on me a little bit. You know he’s just full of run like the other day. I cannot say enough of Austin Smith and what he has done with this horse. You just don’t see this happen every day. Austin Smith and his team, his wife, the grooms, unbelievable.”
Trainer Austin Smith (Nates Mineshaft, winner): “He kind of got a breather when he opened up down the backstretch. He likes this track. When I first got him, I didn’t train him hard. A lot of work has been done on him and he’s really changed a lot. This was awesome. This is a replay I’ll love to watch.
“When I saw 23, 46 and change and 11, I didn’t have a lot of high hopes. But he loves this track.
“I’m happy for the horse. He’s turned into a monster since he’s been down here. It’s nice to win a big race.”
Jockey Javier Castellano (Mission Impazible, second): “Things went perfect for us. I had a beautiful trip. I squeezed him coming for home and he responded but the winner was much the best today.”
Jockey Eddie Castro (Toby’s Corner, third): “I found a little pocket behind some horses and I had a good trip but it’s a fast track today.”
Trainer Neil Pessin (Mister Marti Gras, fourth): “I got stopped at the five-sixteenths pole. Johnny V got off and said, ‘Sorry I gave you a bad ride.’ But he really didn’t. He was where he was supposed to be and it just didn’t open up. He got checked back turning for home and he swung him out. I’d rather take a shot doing that than swing 15-wide at the three-eighths pole and lose all the ground. He made the right decision, it just didn’t work. I’m not saying we could’ve beat the inner but we would’ve been second.
“We’ll go to Keeneland, maybe even take a look at the Charles Town race in two weeks for a million dollars depending how he comes out of it.”
Jockey Rosie Napravnik (Pants On Fire, fifth): “We were in a good spot and I had an eye on the favorite, Mission Impazible, and the horse was feeling good but she just didn’t fire today.”\
NOTE: The final time of 1:47.64 set a new track record…This was the first graded stakes win for trainer Austin Smith.
Race 6-$75,000
Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles, 40th running
Jockey Corey Lanerie (Look At the Time, winner): “It’s fabulous. First and foremost I would like to thank Wes for sticking with me and for giving me an opportunity to get on the horse and ride him. I’m just the passenger. He’s a fun horse to ride. Puts you right where you want to be and when you call on him, he’s got a turn of foot that’s second to none.
“Having ridden him before I know he has such a quick turn of foot. He’s the type of horse he punches right through and when he makes the lead he put the air brakes on like his job’s over. I thought Shane Sellers (on Beanwah’smachine) and Freddie One Bite would maybe take me to the eighth-pole and I was hoping to follow them to there and then, if I had horse, worry about a spot. I knew his turn of foot would get me through anything. It didn’t look like it but I really was never worried at any point.”
Trainer Wes Hawley (Look At the Time, winner): “I just wish he would have been left up the first time we run him; we all would have made a lot of money.
“There is a possibility of looking at Churchill for the Crown Royal. We’re just going to play it by ear.”
Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. (
Race 4-$150,000 Duncan F. Kenner Stakes
Three-year-olds and up, six furlongs, 59th running
Jockey Richard Eramia (Gantry, winner): “This horse is very easy to ride. You only have to wait a little bit until the sixteenth-pole. It was very good.”
Trainer Ron Faucheaux (Gantry, winner): “We just trained up to this race from the last stake. I just want to thank Ms. Evelyn for giving me the opportunity to train this horse and thank Richard for the three consecutive great rides.
“It’s great when a plan comes through. This was our goal the whole time. It is very exciting for everybody.”
Owner Evelyn Benoit of Brittyln Stable (Gantry, winner): “I am very proud. Those two guys (Eramia and Faucheaux) deserve all the credit. They were very confident from the first day we ran this horse that we would win all three of theses stakes. I always hopes it would work out and it did!”
Jockey Rosie Napravnik (Joe Hollywood, second): “He ran a super race. Speed is his number one asset and he used it well. At midstretch I really thought they might not catch us but unfortunately they did.”
NOTE: Gantry’s final time of 1:08.58 is a new stakes record and the fastest six-furlong time of the meet.
Leading Horsemen Quotes
Leading Jockey Rosie Napravnik: “You know, it was such a great day (on Saturday). Every win is a special one. Yesterday I really liked that filly (Fair Grounds Oaks winner Believe You Can) and it was great of the Jones to have me on her so I was very thankful for it.”
What was your most memorable experience this season? “I’m going to have to say the Risen Star so we’ll have to see how that goes later on today but that was a great race and I’m looking forward to how that horse progresses today.”
Where are you going to next? “I’m going to
NOTE: This was the second consecutive leading jockey title for Napravnik.
Leading Trainer Steve Asmussen: “
What’s been the most memorable moment from your career? “For me it will always be when Curlin won the Preakness in a photo. You know, it was a close finish, had never won a race at that level. When they put his number up I’ll hold that forever.”
NOTE: This was Steve Asmussen’s 11th Fair Grounds training title, a new record. Asmussen had previously shared the record with
Leading Owner Maggi Moss: “I sure wanted it but I don’t ever have any expectations. This is my favorite racetrack. I love this town, I love this track and this is the one I wanted the most.
“I appreciate the horses and Tom Amoss, Rosie and James Graham. My hats off to them, thank you!”
NOTE: This was the second consecutive leading owner title for Moss.
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James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company
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