Nitro Chip, Destiny Calls winners on Louisiana Premier
Night
Emmitt Pickett’s NITRO CHIP (Finest Hour) pulled away to win Saturday
evening’s $200,000
Louisiana Premier Night Championship S. at Delta Downs. The
race was the featured event on a card of 10 stakes races for Louisiana breds.
Nitro Chip pressed the early pace through splits of :22 3/5, :47 and 1:12 2/5.
Taking the advantage around the final turn of the 1 1/16-mile event, he opened
up down the stretch, eventually stopping the clock in 1:45 4/5 under
jockey Steve Bourque. The 3-2 favorite, Witt Ante (Upping the Ante), followed in
second 1 3/4-lengths back on the fast track.
Leaving the gate at 8-1, the Samuel Breaux-trained Nitro Chip returned $18.80, $7.80 and
$4.40 for his efforts, keying exotics of $65 (exacta) and $271.40 (trifecta).
Witt Ante gave back $3.80 and $2.60 while Meteor Impact (Belek) followed 6
3/4-lengths behind for the bronze spot to pay $4. Spritely Walker (Skywalker)
was the last horse on the 4-2-7-3 superfecta ticket which paid $2,205.80.
Walk in the Snow (In a Walk), Screen Idol (Zarbyev), Sanctuary’s Omooni
(Sanctuary), High Hopes Star (Patton) and Angora (Belek) rounded out the order
of finish.
Nitro Chip improved his record to 14-8-1-3 with his second stakes score of
the year and increased his bankroll to $352,640.
Vikie Krantz’s homebred DESTINY CALLS (With Approval) retained her title in
the $150,000
Louisiana
Premier Night Distaff S. as she defeated five rivals en route to the victory. The Gary Palmisano charge sat just off the pace behind
Legs O’Neal (Nealson) through fractions of :23 3/5, :48 and 1:13 3/5 before
prevailing at the wire to win the one-mile contest by three parts of a length in
1:40 4/5 under Robby Albarado, one of three victories on the night for Albarado.
The five-year-old mare gave back $3.40, $2.40 and $2.20 as the 3-5 favorite.
Legs O’Neal returned $3 and $2.60 at 5-2, ending a $7.40 exacta. Cute N Noble
(Noble Assembly) followed in third to pay $3.80 for the show ticket at 23-1.
There were no trifecta or superfecta wagering.
Destiny Calls now owns four stakes victories and shows a mark of 15-10-3-0 with earnings of $446,969.
West Point Thoroughbreds LLC’s CRIMSON STAG (Glitterman) proved much the best
in the $125,000
Louisiana Premier Night Prince S. for three-year-olds.
Conditioned by Dallas Stewart, the colt won his second stakes of the year as he
closed strongly from the rear after being pinched at the start, eventually
pulling away to a 2 3/4-length win. The clock stopped in 1:28 1/5 for the seven-furlong event. Crimson Stag paid $2.80 for the victory under Albarado as the 2-5
favorite.
Five Star Stables’ SWEET MACARONI (Malagra) tracked the pace of the $125,000
Louisiana Premier Night Starlet S. for three-year-old fillies before taking
control in the home stretch and driving clear by two lengths under Albarado. The
Troy Young trainee finished the seven-furlong contest in 1:28 2/5 to pick up her
first career stakes success and was the second winner of the day for Young. She
paid $13.80 at nearly 6-1.
Terry Bailey and James Donnan’s WHERE IS MY DADDY (High Occupancy) was victorious in the $100,000
Louisiana Premier Night Matron S. after pulling
away to a 3 1/4-length win under Carlos Gonzalez. The five-year-old mare battled
for the lead early and took command on the turn of the five-furlong race,
finishing in :59 1/5. Trained by Cole Norman, the dark bay paid $11.80 after
going off at nearly 5-1.
Valene Farms’ LAC LARONGE (Nelson) moved between rivals on the turn of the
$100,000 Louisiana Premier Night Sprint S. to come away
with the score and remain
undefeated in three starts on the year. Trained by Young, the five-year-old
gelding pressed the pace early and took the lead as the group neared the wire
under Lonnie Meche. Lac Laronge finished the five-furlong race in :59 2/5 to
return $9.20 at 7-2.
Also earning victories on the night were RICH N’ RESTLESS (Belek) in the
Louisiana Premier Night Ladies Starter S.; SUNUP SUNDOWN (Sir Richard Lewis) in
the Louisiana Premier Night Gentlemen Starter S.; ADIEU AND FAREWELL (Fraser
River) in the
Louisiana Premier Night Bon Temps Starter S.; and LED BY THE LIGHT
(Mr. Brilliant) in the
Louisiana Premier Night Ragin Cajun Starter S.