Cooptado Back to Winning Ways in Tenacious; Dimension Springs 39-1 Diliberto Upset on Santa Super Saturday

By Brian Spencer —-

COOPTADO BACK TO WINNING WAYS IN TENACIOUS; DIMENSION SPRINGS 39-1 DILIBERTO UPSET ON SANTA SUPER SATURDAY

NEW ORLEANS (Dec. 16, 2017) – Valentin Bukhtoyarov and Evgeny Kappushev’s multiple Group I-winning millionaire Cooptado (Arg) made his first visit to the winner’s circle since capturing the Group I Longines Singapore Gold Cup in 2015 when posting a gutsy nose win in the $75,000 Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The Tenacious highlighted a six-stakes, 13-race program on Santa Super Saturday.

Ridden by Declan Cannon for trainer Tom Morley, Cooptado settled within striking range early behind leader Sticksstatelydude through splits of 24.38, 47.94 and 1:1275. As the leader began to fade, Clinton Glasscock and Two Dimes Stable’s Shut the Box assumed command under Joe Bravo. The Angel Montano, Sr.-trainee battled the eventual winner throughout the final furlong but came up a nose short in a final time of 1:42.78 for the 1 1/16-miles trip. It was another 1½ lengths back to Steve Landers Racing’s Brad Cox trainee Leofric, who rallied well off the layoff for third.

“I had a feeling at the wire that I was head on but I thought that my head was down at the right time,” Cannon said. “My horse is tough, I had a good trip, saved all the ground and got the rail turning for home. When the other horse (Shut the Box) came down to meet me we got into a ding dong, but I think it might have helped me.”

“We wanted to try him on the dirt at some point and there was nothing else for him coming up in the near future so we thought ‘You know what? We’ll roll the dice see how he goes on the dirt and if doesn’t work we can go back to the turf with him,’” Morley said. “But there’s always a suspicion that those horses quicken away on the turf from him and in here he’s been right there all the way around and he’s super brave. And a cracking effort from my team who brought him back in three weeks. That’s a big turnaround for an older horse like this. The first two races on grass probably set him up for this race today.”

Cooptado earned $45,000 for his efforts and increased his lifetime bankroll to $1,164,240 with his sixth win in 36 career starts. He returned $36.40, $12.60 and $6.60, while Shut the Box paid $9.80 and $4.20. Leofric paid $4.20.

Sticksstatelydude, Money Flows, Field of Courage and Far Right completed the running order. Dazzling Gem and Fear the Cowboy were scratched. Fear the Cowboy won Saturday’s Harlan’s Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream for trainer Efren Loza, Jr.

Five stakes were run earlier on the 13-race program. Highlights included:

– Riverside Bloodstock’s seasoned veteran Dimension (GB) showed that age is far from an issue when the 9-year-old gelding lit up the tote board at odds of 39-1 the 1 1/16-miles Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course for trainer Conor Murphy.

Breaking from post four under James Graham, Dimension did not come out of the gate well but managed to sit second while Turbo Street (Aus) took control of the pace in the early stages and threw down splits of 25.11, 50.75 and 1:15.15 while the eventual winner tracked in the top tier alongside Thatcher Street and Saham. Approaching the top of the stretch Turbo Street began to give way while Dimension asserted himself to the front. Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Mike Maker-trained Sir Dudley Digges made a big move down the stretch but could not catch the eventual winner who completed the race in a time of 1:46.07. Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm’s Up With The Birds took the show spot under Jamie Theriot for trainer Michelle Lovell.

“He broke horrible,” Graham said. “He ran off around the first turn and still won the race with room to spare I thought I’d be on the lead by myself. He was running off on me, but I didn’t want to choke him, so I just said, ‘Okay, whatever you’re comfortable with.’”

The Diliberto was Dimension’s first victory since last year’s Gr. II King Edward Stakes at Woodbine. He overcame a six-race slump on Saturday afternoon where he did not finish on the board. The $45,000 winner’s share brought his career bankroll up to $617,496 and has now won eight of his 41 lifetime starts. He returned $81.80, $27.40 and $12.20. Sir Dudley Digges paid $5.60 and $3.80, while Up With the Birds returned $7.40

Completeing the order of finish were Saham, High Noon Rider, Applicator, Thatcher Street, Turbo Street (Aus) and Tizzarunner.

– Flurry Racing Stables’s Imma Bling ($24.60, $10.80 and $6.20) went from claimer to stakes winner in just 24 days when he took the 5½-furlong Bonapaw Stakes at odds of 11-1. Trained by Karl Broberg, the Texas-bred son of Too Much Bling last raced on Nov. 24 when second at Churchill Downs for former conditioner Genaro Garcia.

Guided by Joe Bravo, Imma Bling sat just off the pace, which was set by Singingintheheat in fractions of 21.70, 46.47 and 58.42. Lukewarm favorite Kid Perfect was sitting a half-length behind the frontrunner in second with Show Bound tracking in third. Approaching the top of the stretch, Imma Bling went four wide and made his winning move to score by a length in a final time of 1:04.67 on the Stall-Wilson turf course. Two longshots completed the trifecta with Balandeen ($20 and $10.20) running second while Show Bound ($9.20) took the show spot.

“The whole team had this horse ready to go,” Bravo said. “In the post parade he was very on the muscle and the race kind of set up well for us. The speed went, he sat off and breathed. The team had him ready to run and made my job a lot easier.”

Kid Perfect, Waging War, Eden Grey’s Kitten, Irritator and Singingintheheat completed the running order. Blue Wings, Enchantera, Field of Courage and Sir Navigator were scratched. Chiltern Street was a late scratch after failing to arrive in the paddock.

– Dixiana Farms’ Giada Vegas ($12.80, $6.20 and $4.20) sat off of a slow pace but made up enough ground in the stretch drive to capture her first stakes victory in the Blushing K.D. Stakes.

Guided by Corey Lanerie and trained by Mark Casse, the 4-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy sat fifth off the pace while Michael Meeks’ Vagabond Princess led the way in slow opening fractions of 24.91, 5061 and 1:15.59. Darrell and Sadie Brommer’s Neil Pessin-trained favorite Prado’s Sweet Ride sat just behind the pacesetter with longshot Shes a True Beauty in third. At the top of the stretch, Vagabond Princess maintained her lead until she was run down by Giada Vegas who stopped the clock in a time of 1:46.62 for the 1 1/16-miles event over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course while clear by a length. 13-1 longshot Joyous Thunder ($9.60 and $5) closed to get second while Prado’s Sweet Ride ($2.40) finished another neck back in third.

“I just rode her where I found her,” Lanerie said. “She shows that she has no speed so I just wanted to give her a good trip and give her the best opportunity to finish and it worked out well.”

The Blushing K.D. was the fourth consecutive victory for Giada Vegas, who entered the turf event off of a trio of victories over the Tapeta at Woodbine. She earned $45,000 to boost her bankroll to $196,333 in her fifth win in 15 lifetime starts.

Vagabond Princess, Princess Erindelle, Majestic Angel and Emerald Pond completed the order of finish. Valadorna was scratched.

– Will Kari’s She’s Pretty Lucky wore down a stubborn leader in Allied Racing Stable’s Upset Brewing in the lane to post a nose win in the $50,000 Letellier Memorial for 2-year-old fillies over six furlongs on the main track.

Ridden by Florent Geroux for trainer Eddie Keaneally, She’s Pretty Lucky settled near the back of the field behind splits of 21.68 and 45.80. Turning for home, Geroux angled the daughter of Lookin at Lucky to the outside and used every yard of the stretch to get her nose in front in a final time of 1:11.06. Upset Brewing, ridden by Robby Albarado for Buff Bradley, made a menacing move to take the lead into the lane but could not withstand the winner’s charge in the final strides. It was three lengths back to Vision of Justice in third.

“I thought we were going to go by [Upset Brewing], but she was trying very hard and didn’t want to give it up,” Geroux said. “There was good speed in the race, and I got to save ground all the way around there.”

She’s Pretty Lucky won for the second time in three lifetime starts and earned $30,690 to increase her career bankroll to $61,542. She returned $8, $4 and $3, with Upset Brewing paying $4.80 and $3.20 and Vision of Justice returning $3.

Stellar Moon, Waki Patriot and Noblame completed the order of finish. My Girl Janelle did not finish, and Thoughtless Doll was scratched.

– Norman Stables’ Land Battle quickly took the lead and never relinquished control en route to an easy score over two rivals in the $50,000 Sugar Bowl for 2-year-olds at six furlongs on the main track. Ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr. for trainer Scott Gelner, the son of Istan earned his first stakes win after a trio of stakes placings earlier in his juvenile campaign.

Allowed to cruise through easy splits of 23.06 and 47.33, he easily turned away a challenge from the 1-5 favorite, Jackpot Ranch’s Mark Casse-trained Steel Shot, who settled a few lengths off the early fractions under Corey Lanerie. Holding his lead under urging from Valdivia in the lane, he completed the trip in 1:11.61 while 1¼ lengths clear of Steel Shot. It was another 6¼ lengths back to Gerald and Brody Veal’s Kathleen Mordenti-trained Silis in third under Chantal Sutherland.

“It was almost like a match race,” Valdivia said. “There were only three horse so I figured I would see if I could get him to the lead and take a little bit of spunk from the favorite. My horse had been training really well. He relaxed and went slow enough and had enough left for the drive.”

Winning for the third time in seven career starts, Land Battle earned $35,000 to boost his career bankroll to $110,512. He returned $7.20 and $2.10, with Steel Shot paying $2.10. There was no show wagering.

Metric System and Bourne in Nixa were scratched.

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, LA, 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 146th Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 105thrunning of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 18, 2017 through March 31, 2018. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.