Her Laugh Uncatchable in the Untapable, Earns 10 Points Towards 151st Kentucky Oaks

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Her Laugh Uncatchable in the Untapable, Earns 10 Points Towards 151st Kentucky Oaks

Recaps for Tenacious, Buddy Diliberto, and Richard R. Scherer

New Orleans, La (Dec. 21, 2024) – Stretching out to 1 mile 70 yards after debuting a winner at 6 furlongs, Grantley Acres’ homebred Her Laugh shot to the front of the $100,000 Untapable field and never looked back. Banking 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with her win Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the Practical Joke filly trained by Whit Beckman beat out post-time favorite Golden Gamble by 2 1/2 lengths with a final time of 1:43.72.

“I told Axel just break and put her where she is comfortable,” Beckman said. “Seeing the fractions, how she was carrying him and how composed she was, I knew we were in the best spot. It was perfect. This day worked out very well.”

Beckman teamed up with jockey Axel Concepcion to win two stakes on the Road to the Derby Kickoff Day card, including with Simply Joking in the Letellier. Both Her Laugh and Simply Joking are owned by Grantley Acres.

“(Her Laugh) broke good, relaxed very well,” Concepcion said. “I asked at the quarter pole and she responded. I knew she had a lot of talent from working her since she was in Kentucky three months ago. She did it all and I am very grateful for the owners and the trainer for the opportunity.”

Golden Gamble traveled wide, off the pace, and appeared green down the stretch but managed to rally for second over a gallant effort from last by California Sunset. Golden Gamble earned 5 Oaks qualifying points and California Sunset, 3. After threatening at the top of the stretch, Stable Currency held on for fourth to earn 2 points. Drexel Hill, Beckman’s other entry in the Untapable, finished fifth for 1 point.

A perfect 2 wins in two starts, Her Laugh has earned $102,000.

*****

FMQ Stables’ 2023 Louisiana (G3) winner Saudi Crown returned to Fair Grounds to add the $100,000 Tenacious to his titles. After pressing Track Phantom through the early stages, Saudi Crown bid past at the 1/4 pole and proved victorious, covering the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.35, just shy of the track record of 1:42.01 set by Olympiad in 2022.

The Brad Cox trained exacta included the lightly raced Kinetic, who rallied from off the pace for second, two lengths back from his stablemate.

“We were thinking about entering Saudi Crown in the Cigar Mile after the Breeders’ Cup,” Cox said. “I felt like I needed to work him a few more times, find a little bit softer spot. I didn’t want to do too much with him, so we could get his confidence back up, and I thought this was a great spot to try. Hopefully we can move forward off this.”

The 4-year-old colt was reunited with Florent Geroux, who has been aboard Saudi Crown for all but one of his 12 starts.

“He was by far the class of the race,” Geroux said. “He relaxed very nicely. Sometimes when he doesn’t make the lead, he gets eager, but I was pleased with how comfortably he was traveling. I thought he came home very nicely, especially the last quarter of the mile. He put away Track Phantom right before the quarter pole and did it on his own, finishing with a lot of reserves. I’m very pleased with him.”

The multiple graded stake winner who also finished third in the 2024 Saudi Cup (G1) now has $3,130,985 in career earnings with a 12-6-2-1 lifetime record.

*****

Gigante overcame an awkward start to in the $100,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes to run down lose leader Swiftsure and hold off late rallies from Idratherbeblessed and Another Mystery, who finished second and third, respectively.

Trained by Steve Asmussen and with Jose Ortiz in the irons, Gigante covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.62 over a firm turf course, winning by 1 length.

“He’s such a cool horse,” Ortiz said. “He kind of bobbled a bit out of the gate but Steve always gives me confidence to ride his horses my way. I was able to get him back in the race and going into the first turn, Gigante gave me his head, relaxed nicely, and when I asked him in the stretch, he was there.”

Having won the 2023 Woodchopper and finished second in the 2024 Muniz Memorial presented by Horse Racing Nation (G2), Gigante’s campaign could include a return in the Muniz at the end of the meet, according to Asmussen.

“We’re glad to have him back at the Fair Grounds,” Asmussen said. “It’s very special to win a race named after Buddy Diliberto. Nobody loved racing more than he did and it’s a great honor to win a race named after him.”

A Virgina-bred by Not This Time, Gigante’s career record now tallies 18-7-1-2 with an impressive bankroll of $1,127,650.

*****

Bear River got the jump on five foes in the $100,000 Richard R. Scherer Memorial and proved best to win his second stake by 2 1/4 lengths over Minnesota Ready.

Trained by Keith Desormeaux, the 3-year-old chestnut ridgling travelled 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.61 over a firm turf course. With a career record of 18-5-0-2, Bear River has banked $383,848.

“I thought maybe I was overdoing it with the 12 starts in 2024,” Desormeaux said. “He’s been so good to us and he’s so sound.”

Threatened in the stretch by post-time favorite Panther Island, Bear River wandered about under Axel Concepcion, warding off any serious bids.

“The most important part in the race was the break,” Concepcion said. “After that he relaxed very well.”

The racing week concludes on Sunday with an 8-race card, and then picks back up again on Thursday, Dec. 26 with an 11-race program that features the $100,000 Joseph “Spanky” Broussard Memorial and $100,000 Nelson J. Menard Memorial.

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