Star Guitar chalked up his sixth stakes win in a row when he cruised to a 3 1/2-length win in the $200,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship Stakes at Delta Downs on the night of Feb. 6.
The $1-million Premier Night featured six stakes and four starter races at the six-furlong Vinton, La., track and casino.
Ridden with supreme confidence by regular pilot Curt Bourque, the 125-pound high weight in the 10-horse field successfully defended his seven-length victory in last year's Premier Night Championship.
Star Guitar raced in seventh early before advancing steadily on the outside of the field on the backstretch. He reached contention on the final turn, sweeping past the leading Ide Like a Double as they approached the top of the lane.
There were no threats in drive as Star Guitar, the 3-10 favorite paying $2.60 to win, was ridden out to his 12th victory in 15 lifetime starts for trainer Albert Stall Jr. The winning time for the 1 1/16-mile event was 1:45.71 over a fast track.
A 5-year-old homebred owned by Maurice and Evelyn Benoit's Brittlyn Stable, Star Guitar earned $120,000 for the victory, boosting his career total to $828,458. The bay horse, by Quiet American--Minit Towinit, by Malagra, has been dominant against state-breds. Just one of his nine stakes wins have come in open company, the Evangeline Downs Mile Handicap last August.
The stalking Snug rallied for second under Diego Saenz, with Ide Like a Double and Patrick Valenzuela holding third.
Elsewhere on the Premier Night card, 7-10 favorite Superior Storm, ridden by Luis Quinonez, was all out to hold off Seven Seventythree by a neck to successfully repeat in the $150,000 Distaff Stakes for older fillies and mares. Superior Storm ($3.40) led by three lengths with an eighth of a mile to run but nearly gave it all away in the final strides while completing the one-mile test in 1:40.54.
Seven Seventythree, Shaun Bridgmohan riding, finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of the show horse, Zarb's Ballerina, with Donald Simington aboard.
Richard Jackson trains Superior Storm for Jac Mac Stables. The 5-year-old daughter of Stormy Atlantic --Alittlebitsuperior, by Total Departure, earned her 15th win in 23 starts with earnings of $951,498.
A race before the Distaff, favored Shezacrazygirl ($6), with Bourque aboard, won the $125,000 Starlet for 3-year-old fillies by three lengths for Red Oak Stable and trainer Stall. The winning time for the seven furlongs was 1:27.37.
The $125,000 Prince for 3-year-olds went to 35-1 outsider Redsugar, ridden by Kirk LeBlanc. Redsugar ($73.60) went gate-to-wire in the seven-furlong event to post a 4 1/4-length triumph for owner Chad White and trainer Frank Trosclair. The winning time was 1:26.87.
Flawless Gold ($25.40), ridden by Nathaniel Puello, posted a front-running upset in the $100,000 Matron for older fillies and mares, while John Charles ($19.40), with Francisco Torres aboard, captured the $100,000 Sprint.
