Hawley Just Misses Winning Four Races at Fair Grounds
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Trainer Wes Hawley got his Mardi Gras weekend off to a celebratory start on Endymion Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The veteran conditioner won with three of his four horses, starting his day with a 1¼-length victory by Artist Cry ($9) under Miguel Mena in the second race, a starter optional claiming event. Hawley then went on to take the fourth race – a claiming event – with K One Kobra ($20.80) under Florent Geroux. Finally, Hawley took the night’s eighth race – a Louisiana-bred maiden special weight – with Over Yonder ($5.20) using his third different rider, Patrick Valenzuela.
Hawley almost made it a perfect 4-for-4 when Distant Kingdom just missed by a diminishing head in the day’s featured sixth race – an allowance optional claiming event going six furlongs for older horses. The Oklahoma native owns – in full or part – all four horses.
Hawley is having a solid meet thus far in the 2015-16 Fair Grounds season. Striking at a 24% clip with his 12 victories from 51 starts. His seven wins as a full or part-owner are second among all owners at the New Orleans oval.
Other multiple winners on the Saturday card were Keith Bourgeois, who continues a solid meet. His two victories put him in a tie for fifth place with Bret Calhoun with 15 wins on the meet. Striking at 32% - second only to Brad Cox’s 35% - he is 11th in earnings ($273,665) through Saturday’s card.
Jockeys Francisco Torres and Brian Hernandez, Jr., each had two victories on the day, tying them in seventh with 27 wins on the meet. Colby Hernandez and Florent Geroux continue to battle away at the top of the standings with 48 wins apiece – 15 clear of their closest rivals.
Fair Grounds Fourth Race Sunday Declared "No Contest"
Due to a starting gate malfunction, Sunday’s fourth race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots has been declared a “no contest” by the stewards.
The determination of a “no contest” leads to full refunds of all wagers made on the race. Multi-race wagers that were already underway will receive “ALL” in the fourth race, and multi-race wagers that were scheduled to begin in the fourth race have been refunded.
The nine-race Sunday card continues, and the race week will finish with live racing Monday and Tuesday at 12:30 p.m.
FOREVAMO TOPS WORK TAB
Brittlyn Stable’s Forevamo, a stakes winner three back in the Listed $200,000 Jean Lafitte at Delta Downs, worked a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 flat for Al Stall, Jr. The son of Uncle Mo, second last out to Risen Star-bound Candy My Boy, is leaning toward an allowance race as his next start.
West Point Thoroughbreds multiple Grade I-performing and classic-placed Commanding Curve worked five furlongs in 1:01 flat for trainer Dallas Stewart.
Doug Wall’s multiple stakes winner Ibaka – ninth last out in the Grade III $125,000 Col. E. R. Bradley Handicap on Jan. 16 and winner of the $60,000 Diliberto Memorial two back on Dec. 19 – worked a half-mile in 51.60 for trainer Bret Calhoun.
Windy Hill Farm’s Tuba, a stakes winner last February at Fair Grounds for trainer Anne Smith, worked three furlongs in 37.60 – the 4-year-old gelding’s first work since a winter freshening.
Source: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
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