Brittlyn Stable’s Star Guitar , the overwhelming 1-5 favorite, romped to a 7 3/4-length victory in the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and became the fourth horse to win three times on Champions Day (VIDEO).
A 4-year-old homebred son of Quiet American--Minit Towinit, by Malagra, Star Guitar won for 11th time in 14 lifetime starts—nine of them stakes. He won the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint last year and the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile in 2007. The bay colt is trained by Al Stall Jr.
It was the fifth consecutive win for Star Guitar, who was piloted by Curt Bourque and completed nine furlongs on the fast main track in 1:52.15. Ide Like a Double finished second in a field of six, followed by Takin’ the Bullet.
Star Guitar was third through the backstretch in the Classic before making his winning four-wide move on the far turn. He easily took over entering the stretch and widened his advantage through the final furlong.
"He’s by far the best (Louisiana-bred) horse I’ve ever ridden," Bourque said.
Star Guitar, who paid $2.40, $2.10, and $2.10, has now earned $708,458.
Stall indicated that the $200,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship at Delta Downs Feb. 6 would be next on Star Guitar’s agenda.
“He’s definitely a better horse (than this time last year)," Stall said. "Pedigree and Mother Nature takes care of all that. We know a little bit more about him. He like his races spaced and the Louisiana-bred program sets up for him that way."
Four Louisiana Champions Day stakes were run on the Fair Grounds Santa Super Saturday Dec. 19 program after they were postponed due to poor weather conditions the week before.
In the $100,000 Champions Day Turf, odds-on favorite Desert Wheat took over from High Toned approaching the stretch and went on to win by four lengths under Corey Lanerie for his second triumph in the event. The 6-year-old son of Wheaton won the Turf in 2006 and missed by a neck a year ago. Bill Mott trained the winner for owners Wachtel Stables, Brous Stables, and Jerry Lee. The horse collected his 11th win from 48 lifetime starts.
Also scoring as the favorite was Lee Young Farm’s Flashy Wise Cat, who drew off to win by 4 1/2 lengths in the $100,000 Champions Day Sprint for trainer Troy Young. Shane Sellers guided the 4-year-old colt to victory in his stakes debut in a final time of 1:09.86 for six furlongs.
Winning the $100,000 Champions Day Ladies Sprint was Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Seven Seventythree for trainer Steve Asmussen. The 3-year-old daughter of Littleexpectations rolled to an eight-length score in a final time of 1:11.53 for six furlongs under Shaun Bridgmohan. She was sixth at the top of the stretch before running down the pacesetters for her sixth win in 13 tries.
Starring on the Santa Super Saturday stakes program was Winchell Thoroughbreds' War Echo in the $100,000 Daily Racing Form Distaff at nine furlongs. Trained by Asmussen and ridden by Bridgmohan, War Echo won by 3 1/2 lengths as the 3-5 favorite for her second stakes victory. The daughter of Tapit won the Silverbulletday (gr. III) back in February at Fair Grounds.
