ASMUSSEN EYES 1,000th CAREER STAKES WIN WITH VACHERIE

By Grant LaGrange —-

On the brink of a milestone, Hall of Fame trainer saddles
the odds-on favorite in the fillies division of the Louisiana Futurity

The Sunday card Fair Grounds Racecourse will feature two $100,000 Louisiana-bred Futurities, one for the boys and one for the fillies, both run at six furlongs over the main track.

The fillies division (race seven) takes on added significance as Corinne and L William Heiligbrodt, Vacherie Girl looks to reward Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen with the unprecedented 1,000th stakes victory of his career.

An impressive debut winner at Fair Grounds on opening day, Vacherie Girl ran away from a state-bred maiden special weight field by 6 ½ lengths. The 2-year old daughter of Tapiture returned on Louisiana Champions Day (December 14) to win the $100,000 Lassie as the even-money favorite.

Vacherie Girl has been installed as Mike Diliberto’s 4/5 morning line favorite. The Steve Asumussen trained filly will be ridden by Florent Geroux and will break from post eight.

After finishing a game second behind her in the Champions Day Lassie, Tri-star Racing LLC’s Our Lost Love looks to turn the tables on Vacherie Girl. A debut winner on turf at Louisiana Downs over the summer, Our Lost Love returned to score a second-level allowance win against Louisiana-breds in her subsequent outing. The daughter of Half Ours will look to score her first career stakes win on Saturday breaking from post two with Mitchell Murill aboard. She is listed as the 4/1 second choice.

Louisiana Futurity (Fillies) Field (jockey/trainer)

1. Somekindawicked (D. Magnon/ Jeansonne) 20/1
2. Our Lost Love (M. Murill/ Foster) 4/1
3. Oretta (J.Guerrero/ D. Melancon) 50/1
4. Lone Star Diva (R. Albarado/ E.Ramirez) 20/1
5. Lady Be Gone (B. Hernandez Jr./ Calhoun) 12/1
6. Lucky Artie (E.Morales/ Ducoing) 6/1
7. Lizzy’s Star (G.Saez/ Calhoun) 8/1
8. Vacherie Girl (F.Geroux/ Asmussen) 4/5
9. Sing the Song (Graham/ Devereux) 8/1

($100,000 Louisiana Futurity, 6 furlongs, 2yo Colts and Geldings)

A full field of 13 juveniles are scheduled to go postward in Saturday’s ninth race, the boys division of the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity.

Set-Hut LLC’s X Clown will be looking for the second stakes win of his young career after having taken the $50,000 Evangeline Downs Prince in August at Evangeline Downs. In his follow-up start, he finished a well-beaten but clear second in the $100,000 Louisiana Legacy Stakes at Delta Downs.

The Jerry Delhomme trainee stretched out to the mile distance last out in the $100,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs, sitting near the pace but tiring late, finishing fifth of seven.

This will be the son of Jimmy Creed’s first start over the Fair Grounds oval. Jockey Tyler Woodley will be aboard once again as the duo break from post two. X Clown is listed as the 7/2 morning line favorite.

John A Adam’s Luckenbacher will look to make it two in a row as he exits an impressive allowance win at Delta Downs. The son of Mr. Besilu pressed the early pace from second before taking command at the top of the stretch and running away to a 3 ¾ length victory.

Having tried stakes competition with little success over the summer, the Beverly Burress trainee will try Louisiana-bred stakes competition once more as he looks for win number three in his young career with jockey Joel Dominguez aboard. Luckenbacher will break from post 10 and is listed at 6/1 on the morning line.

LOUISIANA FUTURITY (COLTS AND GELDINGS) FIELD

1. Free Indeed (C. Lanerie/ Deville) 8/1
2. X Clown (T. Woodley/ Delhomme) 7/2
3. No Quarter (T. Kennedy/ Faucheux) 8/1
4. Britts a Closer (C.Hernandez/ Bourgeois) 15/1
5. Richard Ronald (F.Geroux/ G. Scherer) 9/2
6. Reach the Circle (J. Guerrero/ D. Melancon0 20/1
7. Too much Bourbon (R. Albarado/ G. Delahoussaye) 10/1
8. Whacudposblygowrong (M.Murill/ E. Rodriguez) 15/1
9. Louisiana Hero (G. Melancon/ Courville) 12/1
10. Luckenbacher (J. Dominguez/ Burress) 6/1
11. Guitar Tribute (G. Saez/ Camejo
12. Alterana (M. Pedroza/ Mordenti) 12/1
13. Fast Verdict (D. Magnon/ Deville) 20/1

Cover Photo: Steve Asmussen; Coady Photography

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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 is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global
Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 13 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 148th Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 107 th running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 28, 2019 through March 29, 2020. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.