The $200,000 Premier Night Championship Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile route for older horses, is the top event on the $1-million card, with Heiligbrodt entering co-favorites Magic Sunset and Hallway. Houston-based Heiligbrodt also has morning line co-favorites Cubera and Snug in the $125,000 Premier Night Prince Stakes, which is open to 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.
Hisse, Heiligbrodt’s 3-year-old Buddha filly, is the 5-2 second choice in the $125,000 Premier Night Starlet Stakes, which drew a field of 10 fillies. First post for the important night of Louisiana racing is at 6:30 p.m., starting with the $45,000 Premier Night Bon Temps Starter Stakes, a sprint for older fillies and mares.
Magic Sunset is a 5-year-old Mutakddimgelding, out of Unaccounted For mare Hidden Gem. He has been on the board in his last three starts – all restricted stakes – but has not won any of them. Taking second in his most recent start, the Jan. 5 Cypress Stakes at Delta, Magic Sunset is 5-7-7 from 22 lifetime starts. James Hudson trains.
Hallway, one of three horses that Steve Asmussen will train for Heiligbrodt on Premier Night, lost by a neck to current entrant Willist in the Jan. 5 Dixie Poker Ace Stakes at Fair Grounds after rallying gamely from seventh at the top of the stretch under Shaun Bridgmohan. The 4-year-old Graeme Hall colt has been winless in his past seven starts, but was second in his last four.
Willist, who was bred by Heiligbrodt but is owned by a partnership of Rick Foudriat, A.J. Hand, and Ricky Caballero, has won two consecutive stakes at Fair Grounds. Leaving from outside post in a field of 10, the 5-year-old Dance Brightly gelding is trained by Kelly Broussard and is the 5-1 third choice.
Cubera, a 3-year-old gelding by Cape Canaveral, is coming off a half-length victory in the Dec. 31 Louisiana Futurity at Fair Grounds, where came from 3 ½ lengths back at the top of the stretch to take the six-furlong event. An Asmussen trainee, Cubera is 3-1-0 from six career starts. Bridgmohan will ride.
Snug won a seven-furlong allowance event Nov. 21 at Delta, but is coming off a disappointing sixth-place finish in his most recent start, the Dec. 8 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes, a race in which Cubera was second. Gerard Melancon will ride the Swamp gelding.
