Risen Star - Brisnet

Last updated: 1/14/06 7:14 PM

Lawyer Ron hands out a losing sentence to his Risen Star rivals
(Lou Hodges Jr.)

James T. Hines’ homebred LAWYER RON (Langfuhr) left no reasonable doubt about
who was best in Saturday’s $268,000
Risen
Star S. (G3) at the Fair Grounds at Louisiana Downs meeting. The Robert
Holthus trainee asserted his superiority a half-mile into the race and drew off
to a commanding 8 1/4-length victory under John McKee, finishing the 1 1/16-mile
contest in 1:43 on the fast track.

Mark of Success (Mt. Livermore) grabbed the early lead, but Lawyer Ron
secured an ideal stalking position just to his outside through an opening
quarter of :23 3/5. Lawyer Ron then decided to take charge, carving out
fractions of :47 1/5, 1:11 3/5 and 1:36 3/5 while increasing his advantage. As
soon as Lawyer Ron was given his head, the race for the trophy was over, and the
only real competition involved the minor placings. Mark of Success stayed on
bravely to maintain second, 1 1/4 lengths clear of Hyte Regency (Diligence), who
hung in the stretch after gaining mildly on the far turn. Malameeze (Saint
Ballado) ran evenly in fourth.

“I had a lot of horse under me,” McKee said. “He strided out well under me.
Mr. Holthus said don’t get too far out of it, and that the rail has been deep
the last couple of days. He’s a horse that has some tactical speed; he rates
real kindly for me.”

“He just drew off again,” Holthus marveled. “He’s getting better. He always
showed some talent. He’s fun to be around. If anything, the way he finished was
the most impressive.”

The 5-2 favorite, Saint Augustus (Saint Ballado),
was never in contention and wound up a disappointing fifth, 6 1/2 lengths behind Malameeze. Midway Man (Awesome Again) trailed throughout.

Sadly, Red Bordeaux
(Gulch) broke down while drafting just behind the pace late in the backstretch
and was pulled up.

As the second choice at odds of slightly more than 5-2, Lawyer Ron returned
$7.40, $3.80 and $2.60. Mark of Success paid $4.60 and $3.40 as the 7-2 third
choice, while 4-1 Hyte Regency gave back $2.60 to show. The exacta was worth
$31, trifecta $110.20 and the 4-2-3-5 superfecta $733.40.

Lawyer Ron was posting his third consecutive victory and his second stakes
win, following an 8 1/2-length rout in the Peninsula Gaming’s Diamond Jo S. at
Evangeline Downs on New Year’s Eve. Although his overall mark reads 11-4-1-3, he
can boast of an unblemished four-for-four record on the traditional main track,
with all of his losses coming on turf or Polytrack. With the winner’s check,
Lawyer Ron’s bankroll has more than doubled to $290,008.

Bred in Kentucky, Lawyer Ron is out of Donation (Lord Avie), who
traces to the influential mare *Uvira II (Umidwar), ancestress of many top-class
horses including A.P. Indy, Summer Squall, Lemon Drop Kid, Riskaverse, Plugged
Nickle and Raja Baba.