Fair Grounds News & Notes

By Ryan Martin —-

GILLIGAN DOING WELL FOLLOWING SPILL ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

NEW ORLEANS (March 13, 2019) – Jockey Jack Gilligan was in good spirits on Wednesday afternoon following a spill in the fourth race of the card.

Gilligan, 22, was sent to University of New Orleans Hospital after being unseated from his mount Super Silver, who jumped the rail while on the lead at the top of the stretch. The horse galloped out past the wire and appeared to be in good condition.

“He is talking and can move everything,” Gilligan’s agent Liz Morris said. “The x-rays came back clean, but (as of 6:30 p.m. CDT) we are still waiting for results of the scan. He’s in good spirits.”

Heading into Wednesday afternoon, Gilligan had won 25 races at the Fair Grounds meet and was 11th leading rider in terms of wins

BLACK GOLD HIT ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR $574,563

After carrying over for 34 consecutive race cards, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots’ Black Gold Five Jackpot wager was hit Wednesday afternoon to the tune of $574,563.

In order to take down the Jackpot, a horseplayer must have the only ticket with all five winning numbers.

According to Fair Grounds mutuel manager Donovan Ferguson, the Black Gold Five, a 50-cent wager, was hit by a lucky player in San Mateo, California. Previous to Wednesday, the Jackpot had not been hit since Sunday, January 13, when it paid $15,377.

The five winners that made up the winning Black Gold Five Jackpot ticket were Mizztic Tale (Race 5, $4.00), Libby Knows (Race 6, $36.20), Debdurite (Race 7, $20.00), War Film (Race 8, $8.20) and Q’ Mark (Race 9, $40.40)

IS TOO MAKES STAKES DEBUT IN SATURDAY’S RED CAMELIA STAKES

Barrone Farms’ Is Too has displayed dazzling performances in both of her turf efforts but will look to showcase the same impressive fashion in Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots’ $60,000 Red Camelia Stakes on Saturday, March 16 for Louisiana-bred fillies and mares.

Trained by Eddie Johnston, the 4-year-old daughter of Midshipman will break from post nine as the 9-5 favorite under jockey Colby Hernandez and is a two-time winner this meet having defeated fellow Louisiana-bred fillies and mares against allowance company. On December 2, she made her debut on grass over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course, which she won by an emphatic 6¼ lengths. In her last effort, Is Too was a wire-to-wire winner over the local lawn by 4¼ lengths on February 22 where she defeated three-time Louisiana-bred stakes winner Bermuda Star (post 10, Diego Saenz, 5-1). Is Too has not only displayed impressive winning ways over grass, last June she broke her maiden by 18 lengths over the main track at Evangeline Downs before defeating winners by 6½ lengths over the Opelousas oval.

“We were anxious to get her on grass,” Johnston said. “When we got her on the grass people started calling about her and last time out she just exploded. She’s a good turf filly for sure. A lot of Louisiana-bred turf fillies have kind of gone by the wayside. She’s pretty good so she’ll be able to perform well as long as we keep her healthy.”

While Is Too is making her stakes debut in the Red Camelia, Mr. Al’s Gal will be looking to add another Louisiana-bred stakes triumph to her already impressive resume. Owned by Brittlyn Stable, the 5-year-old daughter of Salute the Sarge has won a total of six stakes events, but all half-dozen of them took place over the main track. The Justin Jeansonne trainee is in search of her first stakes win since last year’s Louisiana Legends Distaff Stakes at Evangeline Downs and will also search for her first stakes triumph on grass. Although she has yet to score at such caliber on turf, she was second in last year’s edition of the Red Camelia Stakes behind Dontmesswithjoanne (post five, Jack Gilligan, 6-1) and was third in the Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Stakes in December 2017. Mr. Al’s Gal boasts the highest amount of career earnings in the Red Camelia field with a bankroll of $491,900. She will be guided by Adam Beschizza from post three.

Completing the field are Tap Dance Star (post one, Gerard Melancon, 12-1), Starmaline (post two, Mitchell Murrill, 12-1), Eskenformore (post four, James Graham, 8-1), Hyper Piper (post six, Marcelino Pedroza, 10-1), Calamity Jane (post seven, Florent Geroux, 12-1) and Special Blessing (post eight, Corey Lanerie, 12-1).