Sunbean Ready for LA Champions Classic

Brittlyn Stable’s Sunbean, given a realistic chance against open company in last spring’s Grade II Louisiana Derby, was hopelessly compromised at the break and again with traffic problems during the running.  That was discouraging to the connections of the promising Louisiana-bred youngster, but they gave him one more chance to continue on the Triple Crown trail by asking him to travel over Polytrack for the first time in his career.  However, he raced wide over that unfamiliar surface in Keeneland’s Grade III Lexington and finished fifth beaten just over four lengths for the win.

Now, in Saturday’s $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic, showcase event of Louisiana Champions Day at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Sunbean will face older horses for the second time in his young career.  The first time he was asked to do that was in his last start and he answered that with a victory in the $100,000 Gold Cup at western Louisiana’s Delta Downs on Nov. 2.

“He’s doing really good right now,” said trainer Ron Faucheux, who took over the colt’s training last July.  “I thought his last work (five furlongs in a minute flat Dec. 7) was really very impressive because he did it so comfortably.  We are hoping for a big effort from him this weekend.  We hope he’s ready to show everybody else just how good we think he is.”

Faucheux has two other starters slated for Champions Day.  Foreign Production, a 7-year-old gelding he co-owns with Thomas Arnaud is named to the $100,000  Louisiana Champions Day Sprint and Timothy D’angelo’s Ten to Midnight in the $50,000 LCD Handicap.

“Foreign Production is just a hard-knocking old campaigner who gives you his best every time he runs,” said Faucheux of the horse who won his last start at Delta Oct. 16 and is a veteran LCD runner who finished third in the 2010 Sprint, ninth in the 2009 Sprint and third in the 2008 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile.

“The starter conditions of the Handicap are perfect for Ten to Midnight,” Faucheux said of the horse who must shoulder the top impost of 121 pounds.  “He’s been doing well, too.”