THE BIG DRAMA STAKES LIVES UP TO ITS NAME WITH A DQ AT DELTA DOWNS

By Don Stevens —-

MEDAL OF COURAGE DEFEATS FORERUN IN THE FREMONT STAKES –

VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs closed out its 13th week of racing on Saturday night with an 11-race program that featured two stakes events, the $60,000 Big Drama for 3-year-olds and the $50,000 Fremont for the older horses.

The Big Drama, named after the 2008 $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot hero and eventual Eclipse Award winner, took a long time to sort out after the race was finished. Under jockey Diego Saenz, Reride hit the finish line first by just a nose over Double Star and Bobby’s Wicked One, who wound up second and third respectively. But the top three finishers ran very close to each other in deep stretch, causing Bobby’s Wicked One to steady sharply under jockey Migel Mena while Double Star lugged in.

Following a long review by the stewards after Mena claimed foul against each of the top two finishers, the judges disqualified Double Star and placed him third behind Bobby’s Wicked One. The stewards disallowed the claim of foul against Reride and the Steve Asmussen owned and trained runner stayed in the top position.

Reride covered seven furlongs of the Big Drama in a time of 1:26.69 while racing over a fast track.

The win was the third of Reride’s four-race career and his first in stakes company. The first-place prize of $36,000 boosted his career bankroll to $106,220.

Reride, a 3-year-old bay colt by Candy Ride out of the Tapit mare Remit, was bred in Kentucky by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC.

Sent to the gate at odds of 6-5, Reride paid $4.60 to win, $2.40 to place and $2.20 to show. Bobby’s Wicked One was worth $2.10 to place and $2.20 to show. Double Star paid $4.40 to show.

The Fremont Stakes turned into a battle of wills in the stretch as Medal of Courage and Forerun hooked up for a classic dual to the finish line. At the wire, Medal of Courage under jockey Timothy Thornton proved best by beating his rival by 1-3/4 lengths with Wonder Run another 1-1/4 lengths back in third. The final time in the five-furlong test for 4-year-olds and up was a rapid 57.98 seconds, the fastest clocking at that distance this season.

Medal of Courage, who is trained by Eduardo Ramirez and owned by Maury Harrington and Christopher Harrington, has now won 12 of 46 lifetimes starts. His paycheck of $30,000 on Saturday night raised his career bankroll to $299,547.

Medal of Courage is a 6-year-old bay gelding by Warrior’s Reward out of the Gulch mare Dance Hall Girl. He was bred in Kentucky by J. M. Herbener, Jr. & Dr. & Mrs. Patrick J. Ford.

The fans tabbed Medal of Courage as the favorite in the race and he returned $5.20 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.80 to show. Forerun was worth $4 to place and $3.20 to show. Wonder run paid $5.60 to show.

Delta Downs will embark on its 14th week of racing Wednesday night with a 10-race program that gets underway at 5:40 pm. The next stakes activity will take place on Saturday, February 10 when the track hosts another edition of Louisiana Premier Night.

For more information about racing at Delta Downs visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracingcom. Fans can also get information about through Facebook by visiting the page ‘Delta Downs Racing’. The track’s Twitter handle is @deltaracing.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.