Atras Prepares Prosperous Sophomore Chasing Liberty for Black Gold

By Kevin Kilroy —-

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Atras Prepares Prosperous Sophomore Chasing Liberty for Black Gold

New Orleans, La (Feb. 26, 2025) – Expertly campaigned by trainer Rob Atras, Twin Creeks Racing Stables’ Chasing Liberty will look to add to his $827,301 bankroll as the 2-1 morning line favorite in Saturday’s $100,000 Black Gold Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. With three added money titles through five starts, the 3-year-old Constitution colt will take on seven peers in the 1 1/16 miles turf contest.

“He’s a really nice colt,” Atras said. “I’m very fortunate to have him. It’s been nice watching him develop so far. We’re hoping that he continues to do so and hopefully he can keep moving forward on Saturday.”

Slated as race 9, the Black Gold is one of five stakes carded for Saturday. The 10-race program has an adjusted first post of 12:20 p.m. CT to accommodate the Endymion Parade which will roll through Fair Grounds’ neighborhood of Mid City on Saturday night.

After breaking his maiden sprinting on debut at Ellis Park, the Constitution colt was kissed up by the stewards in the Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs. Following a fourth-place finish in the Indian Summer at Keeneland, Chasing Liberty shipped to Del Mar for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, where he stretched out to two turns for the first time and proved best over 13 rivals on the Breeders’ Cup Friday undercard.

“He’s a big heavy colt and we wanted to start him out sprinting,” Atras said. “I think it took a couple of races for him to tighten up and get fit before we felt comfortable to stretch him out there in California. We were always thinking he’d want a bit more ground. Right around the mile range hits him pretty good.”

Winning the Texas Turf Mile, his lone sophomore start, Chasing Liberty proved again that he can get eight panels and that one of his strongest assets is his ability to accelerate in the turns.

“He’s a big colt but he’s like a sports car,” Atras said. “He’s big and strong and powerful but he handles those turns and has quick acceleration.”

With the portable rail at 14 feet, Chasing Liberty drew post 6 for the Black Gold, his first start past one mile.

Including Chasing Liberty, Atras’ three top earners are each entered on Saturday, March 1 at different tracks across the country, as Neat, who has been training locally, ships out to Santa Anita for the Kilroe Mile and Law Professor is entered in the Stymie Stakes at Aqueduct.

The four-pack of Louisiana-bred stakes on Saturday includes two pairs of sibling stakes. The sensational statebred crop of 3-year-olds will be on full display as the males line up in the 1 mile 70 yards $100,000 Louisiana Stallion of the Year and the females in the 1 mile $100,000 Louisiana Broodmare of the Year. Both routes will be held on the main track. Scheduled for the Stall-Wilson turf course, older males will take centerstage in the 1 1/16 miles $100,000 Edward M. Johnston Memorial; older fillies and mares in the $100,000 Red Camelia.

Dark on Sunday, March 2, Fair Grounds will celebrate Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras with live racing both days, including the 81st running of the $100,000 Mardi Gras Stakes on Tuesday, March 4.

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Atras reported that after running third to Nanda Dea last out in the Albert Stall, the multiple graded stakes-placed filly Way to Be Marie will target the $150,000 Tom Benson Memorial on Louisiana Derby Day, March 22.

“I thought she ran good last time,” Atras said. “She had a bit of bad luck in her race prior with the Pago Hop coming off the grass, but that’s the way it goes. We were happy with that effort last time and will target the Benson.”

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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.