Winning the Valene, Free Like a Girl Puts the Finishing Touches on Louisiana Champions Preview Weekend

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Winning the Valene, Free Like a Girl Puts the Finishing Touches on Louisiana Champions Preview Weekend

3/24/2024 – Jockey Corey Lanerie aboard Free Like A Girl points skyward after winning the Shantel Lanerie Memorial Stakes, named after his late wife. Hodges Photography / Jan Brubaker

New Orleans, La (Nov. 23, 2024) – Gerald Bruno Jr., Chasey Deville Pomier, and Jerry Caroom’s Free Like a Girl put a bow on Louisiana Champions Day Preview Weekend, winning the $100,000 John Valene Memorial in Saturday’s finale at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Though the final margin was only 3/4 lengths over Clearly a Test, Free Like a Girl’s gallop out proved she was only toying with the field of nine older statebred fillies and mares.

Notching her 21st career win, including six local stakes, the 5-year-old mare trained by Chasey Deville Pomier now has a career bankroll of $2,099,978. With added money wins across the country, and multiple grade one placings, Free Like a Girl is the top Louisiana-bred earner ever to race.

Ridden by Elio Barrera, the daughter of El Deal covered the 1 mile 70 yards in 1:43.41.

Free Like a Girl overcame some early trouble to establish an outside tracking position. At the top of the lane she opened up her stride down the center of the track and took soon took the lead. Clearly a Test narrowed the margin with her impressive late run, but as soon as that 3-year-old got close, it was too late, and likely did not matter as Free Like a Girl dug in to offer more, galloping out as if she were ready for one more turn around the main track.

Highly Wicked and Dixie Farmer dueled throughout, and both held on for third and fourth, respectively.

The odds-on favorite paid $2.80, $2.20, $2.10.

In Saturday’s first of four stakes, Norman Stable’s Secret Faith proved much the best in the $100,000 Donovan L. Ferguson. Pinned in on the rail down the stretch, the gray daughter of Aurelius Maximus had to fight through her foes to get clear, proving her heart yet again. Under C.J. McMahon, the 1-9 public pick spurted away to win by six lengths. Secret Faith is trained Jayde Gelner.

In the $100,000 Andrew Ney Memorial, Single Malt Stable’s Geaux Sugar proved quickest from the gates to lead at every call and leave just enough in the tanks to hold off a flying late kick from El Dinero. Trained by Keith Bourgeois and with Mitchell Murrill in the irons, the 4-year-old by Half Ours scored his first stake win to the tune of 21-1.

The upset train continued with Delanie J. Calais Jr.’s Cosmic Train, who at 9-1 went from last to first under Jose Ortiz in the $100,000 Jacob V. Morreale. Trained by Jerry Delhomme, a winning tradition continued for the family, as son Jeff Delhomme won the Morreale last year with Mangum, who kept the pace hot on the rail and finished fourth in this year’s edition.

Louisiana Champions Day is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 14.

Live racing resumes at fair Grounds on Sunday with an 8-race program. First post is 12:45 p.m. CT.

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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 153rd Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 112th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 22, 2024 through March 23, 2025. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.