Hoosier Philly and Accomplished Girl Headline Dec. 26 Stakes Action at Fair Grounds

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Hoosier Philly and Accomplished Girl Headline Dec. 26 Stakes Action at Fair Grounds

New Orleans, La (Dec. 22, 2024) – Gold Standard Racing Stable’s $864,455 lifetime earner Hoosier Philly will take on a field of seven older fillies and mares in the $100,000 Joseph E. “Spanky” Broussard Memorial on Thursday, Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Going 1 mile and 70 yards on the main track, the Broussard is one of two added money events on the 11-race program, along with the $100,000 Nelson J. Menard. First post on Thursday is 12:45 p.m. CT.

Hoosier Philly finished seventh last out in the Locust Grove (G2). Trained by Tom Amoss, the Into Mischief 4-year-old boasts four stakes titles, including the Golden Rod (G2). Edgar Morales will be back aboard, breaking Hoosier Philly from the rail.

Bonne Chance Farm’s Nom de Plume will stretch out in the Broussard after a November allowance score sprinting at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old Uncle Mo filly trained by Paolo Lobo attracted the services of the current meet leading pilot, Jose Ortiz.

Sporting six local workouts, Fazenda Mondesir, Fern Circle Stables and Brett Vasseur’s Group 1 winner Champagne Rose will make her North American debut in the Broussard. Transferred to Ken McPeek’s barn after winning the prestigious OSAF – Organizacion Sudamericana de Fomento del Sangre Pura de Carrera (G1), the Brazilian-bred 4-year-old boasts four wins in just five starts, all of them across her native grass.

The Broussard is scheduled as Race 10 and will be preceded by the Menard.

Led by Gentry Farms’ Accomplished Girl, a dozen older fillies and mares will face off in the Nelson J. Menard, a 5 1/2 furlong turf sprint. The Menard will be run with the portable rail set at 9 feet.

Accomplished Girl proved sharpest of eleven foes last out in the Pan Zareta, carving out a rail trip and powering to the winner’s circle to boost her lifetime earnings to $550,296. A graded stake winner in 2023, the Street Boss filly is a relatively new addition to trainer Steve Asmussen’s arsenal, having made four starts for the hall of fame trainer. Accomplished Girl will be reunited with Jareth Loveberry.

Winner of the last two editions of the Menard, Dick Perkins’ Oeuvre returns to Fair Grounds looking to add a fifth local stakes title to her stacked resume. Following the same path as last year, Oeuvre exits the Chilukki (G2) where she ran fourth to Two Sharp. Should she win a third Menard, the Chris Block trainee will sit just shy of $1 million in lifetime earnings, as currently she tallies $933,886.

Chief among their competition is Rigney Racing’s Speedy Traveler. The First Samurai filly trained by Phil Bauer began her career with three straight local wins. Having only made seven lifetime appearances, the 4-year-old Speedy Traveler will make her first dash across the grass in the Menard.

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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.