Fair Grounds: Oeuvre Looks to Add the Pan Zareta to an Already Applaudable Campaign

By Kevin Kilroy —-

New Orleans, La (December 1, 2022) – Richard Perkins’ Powerless Stakes (restricted) winner Oeuvre headlines a field of nine older fillies and mares entered in Saturday’s 57th running of the $100,000 Pan Zareta Stakes, a 5 1/2 furlong dirt sprint.

Trained by Chris Block, the 3-1 morning line favorite Oeuvre has displayed her talents this year by winning on dirt and turf, demonstrating her tactical versatility, and traveling to multiple tracks. The 3-year-old Illinois-bred began her season in May with an open-length state bred allowance victory going 6 furlongs on Hawthorne’s dirt track. From there she won five out of her next six while moving through her conditions, including a turf sprint win at Colonial Downs in Virginia. One of only three sophomores entered in the Pan Zareta, Oeuvre’s one loss of the year came in the $471,000 Music City (listed) at Kentucky Downs where she broke slow but was guided from last by Joel Rosario to finish third. She enters the Pan Zareta after winning October’s $75,000 Powerless against state-breds at Hawthorne, her first stakes victory. Aboard for that run, as well as three other victories, Jareth Loveberry will pilot Oeuvre from post No. 5.

One of Oeuvre’s rivals in the Pan Zareta is Choctaw Racing Stable’s Portilla. Though this 4-year-old filly had first-level conditions available to her, trainer Al Stall Jr. entered her against second-level allowance company at Churchill Downs on Nov 6, and she won. Brian Hernandez Jr. piloted her in both victories and he will retain the mount for the Pan Zareta., a race he has won three times. Tabbed at 9-2 by Mike Diliberto, Portilla drew post No. 4.

Other top horses entered into the Pan Zareta Stakes include Klein Racing’s homebred Cashable who is two-for-two on the dirt and Barry and Carol Conrad’s Pea Patch Stakes-winner, New Boss.

Here is the complete field for the Pan Zareta Stakes from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, and morning line odds): Onamargaritaday (Alex Castillo, Sarah Delany, 8-1); New Boss (David Cohen, Bret Calhoun, 10-1); Perfect Happiness (Mitchell Murrill, Chris Hartman, 8-1); Portilla (Brian Hernandez Jr., Al Stall Jr., 9-2); Oeuvre (Jareth Loveberry, Chris Block, 3-1); Minute Waltz (Edgar Morales, Phillip Bauer, 6-1); Touch of Class (James Graham, Bernard Flint, 10-1); Cashable (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Brad Cox, 5-1); and Elle’s Town (Rey Gutierrez, Karl Broberg, 12-1).

Scheduled as Race 8, the post time for the Pan Zareta is 4:45 p.m. CT. The first post on Saturday will go off at the regular time of 1:15 p.m.

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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, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 15 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 151st Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 110th running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from Nov 18, 2022 through March 26, 2023. More information is available online at www.fairgroundsracecourse.com.

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