Odds-on choice Kick On outfought He's Boy Wonder in the lane to register his fourth consecutive win by three-quarters of a length in the $150,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes for 2-year-olds at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel in Vinton, LA, on the night of Nov. 7.
Kick On, a son of Wiseman's Ferry—Hastys Book, by Mari's Book, owned by Baccari Racing, now has back-to-back black-type wins for trainer Joseph Petalino. The chestnut colt took Remington Park's $125,000 MEC Mile by six lengths in his last start Oct. 19.
The Jean Lafitte was one of two stakes offered on Delta Jackpot Preview Night. The other feature, the $100,000 My Trusty Cat Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, was won by 16-1 shot Southern Yankee.
Ridden by Ken Tohill and packing top weight of 121 pounds against eight rivals, Kick On pressed the pace along with He's Boy Wonder in the one-mile main track event. Texas Birdstone led the way through opening quarter-mile fractions of :23.73 and :49.05 on a fast track.
Texas Birdstone dropped back as He's Boy Wonder, with Steve Bourque aboard, took a narrow advantage into the final stretch run, while completing six furlongs in 1:14.97. However, Kick On ($3.60) prevailed in a tough duel in a time of 1:41.21. The 4-1 shot He's Boy Wonder was a clear second.
It was 3 3/4 lengths back to I Come From Behind and Brian Hernandez.
Kick On was part of an entry with stablemate Titranium, who finished off the board.
Bred by Hidden Point Farm in Florida, Kick On was a $12,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale buy in 2007. He has now won four of seven starts, with one second for earnings of $210,536.
The Jean Lafitte is a set-up race for Boyd Gaming’s $750,000 Delta Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) Dec. 5.
The My Trusty Cat Stakes proved to be a coming-out party for Southern Yankee, who carried local jockey Carlos Lozada to a 2 1/4-length victory over Smokin Again. Race favorite Seven Seventythree finished another 1 1/2 lengths behind the top pair in third.
Southern Yankee, a daughter of Yankee Gentleman owned by Rolando Cabral and trained by Olivo Inirio, negotiated seven furlongs in a clocking of 1:27.53.
The My Trusty Cat is a prep race for Boyd Gaming’s $500,000 Delta Princess Stakes (gr. III), also on Dec. 5.