El Dinero Made Favorite as Ten Enter $100,000 Louisiana Stallion of the Year “Star Guitar” Stakes

By Kevin Kilroy —-

El Dinero; Hodges Photography

El Dinero Made Favorite as Ten Enter $100,000 Louisiana Stallion of the Year “Star Guitar” Stakes

New Orleans, La (Feb. 22, 2024) – After an open-length victory in the Premier Prince, Tav Enterprises El Dinero is tabbed as the 3-1 morning line favorite in the $100,000 Louisiana Stallion of the Year “Star Guitar” Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Ten 3-year-old Louisiana-bred males entered the 1 mile 70 yards contest, slated as the finale of Saturday’s 10-race card (5:15 p.m. CT post time).

After winning the Joseph R. Peluso over open weekend, El Dinero returned to Fair Grounds on Louisiana Champions Day, falling a nose short of victory to Good and Stout in the Juvenile. Trained by Pat Devereux Jr., the son of El Deal boasts three wins and has never run out of the money in his seven lifetime starts. James Graham returns to the irons and will break El Dinero out of post 6.

Likewise, Whispering Oaks Farms Good and Stout has never crossed the finish line worse than third, though he was disqualified from his stakes score in the Louisiana Legacy for causing interference. Following his Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile score, the Coal Front colt stretched out for the first time and reversed tactics to lead until the final furlong in the Prince. Trained by Carrol Castille, Good and Stout was made 7-2 in the morning line and will receive the services of C.J. McMahon.

The meet-leading trainer Shane Wilson enters Thomas L Holyfield’s homebred, Brittany’s Dream. Breaking his maiden last out when trying two turns for the first time, the Always Dreaming colt was best by two lengths going one mile and ran through the wire like he was hungry for more ground. Jose Guerrero will get back aboard and break Brittany’s Dream from the rail.

Here is the field for the Louisiana Stallion of the Year in order of post positions (with jockey, trainer, and morning line): 1. Brittany’s Dream (Jose Guerrero, Shane Wilson, 6/1); 2. Rising Koto Star (Emanuel Nieves, Gary Husak, 30/1); 3. Carpis (Erica Murray, Sam David Jr., 6/1); 4. Good and Stout (C.J. McMahon, Carrol Castille, 7/2); 5. Court Jester (Corey Lanerie, Bret Calhoun, 10/1); 6. El Dinero (James Graham, Patrick Devereux Jr., 3/1); 7. Bons Temps Roule (Jareth Loveberry, Louie Roussel III, 12/1); 8. House Bourbon (Edgar Morales, Shane Wilson, 20/1); 9. Spinning Aces (Mitchell Murrill, Allen Landry, 9/2); 10. Take Charge J J (Rey Gutierrez, Bret Calhoun, 8/1).

Clearly a Test Headlines $100,000 Louisiana Broodmare of the Year “Lipstick Junky” Stakes

Returning to stakes company after getting beat by a neck in her first start going two turns, Brittlyn Stable’s Donovan L. Ferguson winner Clearly a Test headlines Saturday’s $100,000 Louisiana Broodmare of the Year “Lipstick Junky” Stakes. Scheduled as race 8 of ten with a post time of 4:15 p.m., a field of eight Louisiana-bred 3-year-old fillies signed on for the one-mile affair across Fair Grounds’ main track.

After testing her mettle against top-class Saratoga babies over the summer, Brittlyn Stable’s homebred Clearly a Test returned to her homestate and passed her maiden exam in the Donovan L. Ferguson on opening day. The Clearly Now filly backed that effort up with a game second-place finish to Accommodate Eva in the Louisiana Champions Day Lassie and a tough-trip fourth place finish in the local fillies Futurity. Showing her ability to run at the top of her game going two turns against allowance company on Feb. 4, Cleary a Test was set as the 3-1 morning line favorite. Trainer Shane Wilson will change up riders, giving the call to Jaime Torres, as Clearly a Test will break from post 5.

After Valene Farms’ Accommodate Eva won the 6-furlong Lassie, connections decided to throw her into deep waters, entering the Munnings filly in the Silverbulletday, where she finished fifth of six. Similar to Clearly a Test, the Dallas Stewart trainee targeted classy open company affairs as a 2-year-old, and after she broke her maiden at Keeneland, Accommodate Eva ran in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and finished tenth. With two off the board performances going two turns, distance remains a question for the 4-1 morning line co-second choice. Corey Lanerie will take the call.

Proving her class last out when winning the Premier Starlet at Delta Downs, Maury and Christopher Harrington’s Lightofmaine will try to back that effort up as the other filly tabbed at 4-1 by Mike Diliberto. Though that effort was across a muddy track, the Tapwrit filly beat three rivals who entered the Louisiana Broodmare of the Year in Magnolia Avenue, Emily’s Bullet, and Plum Wine. Walking over from Bret Calhoun’s barn, Lightofmaine will be joined by Rey Gutierrez before loading into gate 3.

Though it took her seven starts to break her maiden, Tom Galvin’s Tommie G had been facing stakes company and covering sprint distances. Stretching out for the first time in her last effort, the half-sibling to multiple route stakes-winner A G’s Charlotte won convincingly. Trained by Patricia West, Tommie G will see Marcelino Pedroza Jr. back aboard as she breaks from the outside post.

Here is the field for the Louisiana Broodmare of the Year in order of post positions (with jockey, trainer, and morning line): 1. Wonderrand (Jose Luis Rodriguez, Benard Chatters, 10/1); 2. Emily’s Bullet (Edgar Morales, Chasey Pomier, 6/1); 3. Lightofmaine (Rey Gutierrez, Bret Calhoun, 4/1); 4. Accommodate Eva (Corey Lanerie, Dallas Stewart, 4/1); 5. Clearly a Test (Jaime Torres, Shane Wilson, 3/1); 6. Plum Wine (James Graham, Henry Johnson Jr., 10/1); 7. Magnolia Avenue (Fernando Jara, Jaylan Clary, 9/2); 8. Tommie G (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Patricia West, 6/1).

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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 16 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 152nd Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 111th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 17, 2023 through March 24, 2024. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.