Cross-Entered on Fair Grounds “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day,” Her Laugh Opts for Untapable

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Cross-Entered on Fair Grounds “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day,” Her Laugh Opts for Untapable

New Orleans, La (Dec. 20, 2024) – Cross-entered in the Untapable Stakes and the Letellier Memorial on “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Grantley Acres’ Her Laugh will go in the Untapable, according to her trainer Whit Beckman. Drawing a field of eight freshman fillies, the 1 mile 70 yards $100,000 Untapable is the last Kentucky Oaks prep race of the calendar year, offering 10-5-3-2-1 points.

Her Laugh broke her maiden on debut going 6 furlongs at Churchill Downs in mid-November. The Practical Joke filly was tabbed at 6-1 in the morning line.

“I want to stretch her out and it seems like now is as good a time as any,” Beckman said.

Her Laugh will face her stablemate Legion Racing’s Drexel Hill in the Untapable. Previously with Barbara Minshall, this will be the Bolt d’Oro filly’s first race with Beckman. Drexel Hill has raced four times, all at Woodbine on the synthetic course.

“(Drexel Hill) has been training great over the dirt here,” Beckman said. “If it doesn’t work out we could look at getting her back on synth at Turfway.”

With two entered in the $100,000 Letellier Memorial, a 6 furlong dirt sprint for juvenile fillies, the decision to run Her Laugh in the Untapable leaves Simply Joking, a first-time starter who Beckman reported has been training like she’s ready to take on stakes company at first-asking.

Gary and Mary West’s California Sunset was made the 9-5 morning line favorite in the Untapable, representing trainer Brad Cox’s chance to repeat in the Oaks prep, having won last year’s edition with Alpine Princess. After finishing fourth in her first race, California Sunset broke her maiden going 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs with the addition of blinkers.

“The blinkers helped her get out of the gate better,” Cox said. “In her first race, she didn’t come out of the gate. Obviously she likes the two turns–she’s bred to like it–and she’s been doing good down here. We think it’s a good spot for her.”

With an early first post of noon CT, Saturday’s 12-race “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” program includes eight stakes, headlined by the $100,000 Gun Runner, the male counterpart to the Untapable.

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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.