Four Leaf Chief, Heitai Shine in La-Bred Stakes

Keith Plaisance’s Eddie Johnston-trained Pacific Pink captured the first stakes race of her career in the $75,000 Crescent City Oaks, running down favored Sibling War in the final strides to win by a head. Running the one mile and 70 yards on dirt in 1:43.89, the daughter of Private Vow returned $21.60, $8.00 and $4.80, earning $45,000 to boost her career bankroll to $105,600. Sibling War finished second, returning $3.80 and $3, with Forest Lake returning $3.20 in third.

One race later, Four Leaf Chief rallied from last to claim the $75,000 Crescent City Derby by two comfortable lengths. Trained by Steve Flint for Whispering Oaks Farm, the son of Lookin At Lucky settled well at the back for jockey Gerard Melancon before launching a serious bid around the far turn. Paying $9.80, $4.60 and $3.40, the second choice stopped the clock in 1:46.28 for the 1 1/16 miles main track trip. With his fourth win in nine starts, Four Leaf Chief has now earned $215,600. Charlie’s Affair finished second, paying $19 and $11.40. Finishlikeapro crossed the wire third but was disqualified to sixth for interference, elevating Grande Basin to the show spot where he returned $5.20.

Rowell Enterprises’ hard-knocking sprinter Heitai set quick splits and found the wire first in the $60,000 Costa Rising Stakes at 5½ furlongs on the Stall-Wilson turf course. Ridden again by James Graham for trainer Tom Amoss, the 5-year-old son of Fusaichi Pegasus stopped the clock in 1:02.80 and returned $3.00, $2.40 and $2.10 as the odds-on favorite. The speedy gelding’s 14th win from 29 career starts padded his bankroll with another $36,000, boosting his lifetime earnings to $919,543. Late-running 48-1 longshot Win Lion Win narrowed the gap late but could never seriously threaten the winner, falling a length short while finishing a nose in front of Knockitdownhard. Win Lion Win returned $25.20 and $11.20, while Knockitdownhard paid $5.80.

In the final state-bred race of the day, Udoknowjack bounced back off his only subpar effort of the meet with a 33-1 win in the $60,000 Star Guitar Stakes. Ridden by Jocelyn Gomez for owner-trainer Jorge Gomez, Udoknowjack led at every call and repelled all late challengers en route to a neck victory – his fourth of the Fair Grounds meet. The 5-year-old son of Storm Day completed the 1-1/16 miles journey in 1:45.11, returning $68.80, $24.40 and $10.40, and increasing his career earnings to $136,830 with the $36,000 winner’s share. Beauty’s Pioneer rallied late but just missed, returning $6 and $4, with Galveston Harbor another three-quarters of a length behind in third, paying $5.