Fair Grounds: Our Lost Love, X Clown Score in Divisions of Louisiana Futurity

By Grant LaGrange —-

Steve Asmussen denied 1,000th stakes score with favorite in filly race

On the lead virtually every step of the way as the 3-1 second choice under jockey Mitchell Murrill, Tri-star Racing LLC’s Our Lost Love scored the first of two wins on the card for trainer Joseph M. Foster, taking the 2-year-old filly division of the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity on Sunday at Fair Grounds Racecourse.

The daughter of Half Ours stopped the timer in 1:13.25 for six furlongs over a fast track. Lizzy’s Star was a length back in second and the 1-2 favorite Vacherie Girl, who defeated Our Lost Love three weeks ago in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie, checked in third, thus denying Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his 1,000th career stakes win.

“She broke well and we got to the lead,” Murrill said. “I figured Vacherie Girl was somewhere in the middle of the pack but my horse had enough left even though they were trying to run us down late.”

“She does like the lead,” Foster said. “When she perked her ears up, that’s a sign that she was very comfortable. We knew other horses (were capable) of out finishing her, so we knew she had to run her best. We got on the inside rail, Mitch (jockey Murrill) did his job, and we couldn’t be happier with the result.”

Our Last Love now boasts a career record of 5-3-1-0 with earnings of $114,820.

Gabe Saez, jockey of runner-up Lizzy’s Star – “She was sharp out of the gate,” Saez said. “I was expecting Our Lost Love to come back to me but she ran a huge race. This is the first time I was ever on this filly and I think we got along real well. I love the way she ran and how she felt under me. I know she’s still learning but in the future we’re going to be just fine with her. She didn’t get tired. When I brought her up to the leader at the top of the stretch I thought we would have enough but the winner was just really game today.”

In the 2-year-old boys division of the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity, Set-Hut LLC’s X Clown (3-1) overcame an adventurous trip and dug deep late under Tyler Woodley to fend off 51-1 longshot Reach the Circle by a neck for trainer Jerry Delhomme, stopping the timer in 1:13.88 for six furlongs on a fast trak. Fast Verdict checked in third at 57-1.

In August, X Clown scored his first stakes victory in the $50,000 Evangeline Downs Prince Stakes at Evangeline Downs. Following the stakes win, X Clown ran twice at Delta, finishing second best in the $100,000 Louisiana Legacy Stakes in advance of a fifth place run in the open company Jean Lafitte Stakes.

The son of Jimmy Creed now sports a career record of 6-3-2-0 with purse earnings of $142,400.

“I was cursing Tyler at the top of the stretch,” Delhomme said of jockey Woodley. “I told him get straight in the stretch, count back from three, and then go, but the horse was just pulling him. Tyler had to make his move when he did and credit to him for getting this horse in the right spot and getting him to grind to the wire.

“It’s great to win a race like this,” Delhomme continued. “We purchased this horse as group with my Dad (Jerry) and my brother (former NFL quarterback Jake) picking him out and getting him ready. It’s a great day for us.”

“I was closer than I wanted to be,” Woodley said. “I wanted to be a couple of lengths off the lead but at the top of the stretch things got a little tight. I had to use a little horse to tip him out. I’m really proud of this horse and can’t thank the guys that take care of him enough.”

Jose Guerrero jockey of runner up Reach the Circle – “He ran huge.” Guerrero said. “I was in a good spot and I really thought I had it. I was trying to be very patient. I really thought I was going to go by to him but just didn’t happen today.”

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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, LA, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global