Chief Jay, Speedacious Win at Fair Grounds

Carl Moore’s Speedacious broke in stride to make the pace and continued willingly throughout to take Saturday’s $60,000 Happy Ticket Stakes for accredited Louisiana-bred older fillies and mares at Fair Grounds by 4 1/2-lengths.

The daughter of Yankee Gentleman trained by Bret Calhoun toured the 5 1/2-furlong distance in a rapid 1:03.37 after setting early fractions of 21.92 and 44.65. She increased her career earnings to $169,300 with her fourth career win in nine lifetime starts.

“We know she’s got a lot of speed,” said winning rider Carlos Gonzalez. “Break sharp and see where she is at. Just ride her. I love this filly. She means a lot to me.”

Speedacious paid $13.20, $5.40 and $3.40, while runner-up favorite Cajun Conference, owned by Southern Equine Stables, returned $3 and $2.20 while finishing 3 1/2 lengths to the good of John Duvieilh and Keith and Earl Hernandez’ Cherry Forever, who paid $2.40

Earlier in the afternoon, Sara Citron’s Chief Jay took command in the late stages and outfought Lee Young’s Flashy Wise Cat to win the $60,000 John Jackson Memorial by a neck. The latter gained the place in the final strides by a half-length from Charles Fletcher’s My Star Runner but could not match the winner.

My Star Runner pressed the pace of Foxwood Plantation’s Foreign Production, gained the advantage from that frontrunner in mid-stretch, could not stay with the top two but clearly bested the others.

Chief Jay accomplished the 5 1/2-furlong distance in 1:03.39, increased his career earnings to $199,560 with his sixth win in 17 lifetime starts and paid $20.80, $7.80 and $3. 

Flashy Wise Cat returned $2.80 and $2.10 while My Star Runner paid $2.20.