Hot Zapper Upends String King in Champions Day Turf

Ronald Webb’s Andy Leggio-trained Hot Zapper upset 4-5 favorite String King in Saturday’s $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, denying Charles C. Smith’s fan favorite a fourth victory in the 1 1/16-miles grass event. Winning his third race in a row and improving his record over the Stall-Wilson turf course to a perfect 2-for-2, the chestnut son of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper stalked in third under Jose Riquelme before launching a three-wide rally, darting to the rail and ultimately nailing the aforementioned big favorite at the wire by a nose. It was another neck back to Hopeful Notion in third under Miguel Mena.

Hot Zapper finished up in 1:46.17 on firm turf after stalking earlier fractions of 24.40, 50.39, 1:14.69 and 1:38.87. Sent off at 21-1, the 4-year-old gelding won for the fourth time in 11 starts and returned $44, $10.80 and $5.80, earning $60,000 to boost his career bankroll to $153,920. The Turf made him 3-for-3 with Riquelme in the saddle – all in his last three starts and all on grass. He was cross-entered into and scratched from the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic over the dirt main track later on in the card.

“I didn’t want to mess with String King, but this was the only race that fit him to a ‘T’, so we went for it,” Leggio said. “When he first started off as a 3-year-old, he broke his maiden on the dirt here at the Fair Grounds by five or six lengths pretty easily, so we thought he was a dirt horse. Then we tried him on the turf at Louisiana Downs and he ran very well, so we kept him on the turf.”

String King, under Richard Eramia for breeder-owner-trainer Smith, returned $2.60 and $2.10 as the 4-5 favorite. Autumn Hill Farms Racing Stable’s Hopeful Notion returned $2.80 to show. Both String King and Hopeful Notion were hindered early by Benwill, who bumped with Hopeful Notion at the start, clipped heels, stumbled and lost rider Marcelino Pedroza.

“I had a bad trip,” Eramia said. “(Benwill) pushed me out, I lost a lot of ground and it cost me the race. Then I took to the outside and was clear and he tried really hard.”

“(Benwill) clipped heels with my horse and cut his back leg pretty bad,” Mena said. “I think it cost me the race. I only got beat about a neck. (Afterward) I had my horse covered up and he had a great trip and he tried, but he obviously ran with a bad cut.”

The Louisiana Champions Day Turf field was completed by McGehee’s Mercy, Four Leaf Chief, Gallery, Well’s Gold and the aforementioned Benwill.

Later in the card, the 2-year-old Louisiana-breds were featured in the Louisiana Champions Day Lassie and Juvenile, each race worth $100,000 at six furlongs on the main track.

Breeder-owner-trainer Floyd Pitzer upset the apple cart in the Lassie with longshot Aunt Nellie ($57), who charged from eighth-place in the nine-filly field to win by a widening 3¼ lengths under Roberto Morales in 1:12.36. The win was the daughter of Musket Man’s second in four tries and first effort beyond 5½ furlongs.

Three races later it was the boys’ turn in the Juvenile and this time form held well as Ronald Webb’s Joseph Foster-trained homebred Sea Vow ($13.20) won his second consecutive stakes after proving victorious last out in the $150,000 Louisiana Legacy at Delta Downs on Nov. 21. The emblazoned son of Private Vow sped clear at the top of the stretch and outclassed his Pelican State-bred contemporaries by 2¼ lengths in a time of 1:11.79 for his third victory in five career starts.

Source: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots