Teuflesberg took the lead in the stretch and captured a 2 3/4-length victory in the $75,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes for 2-year-olds, the Christmas Eve feature Sunday at Fair Grounds.Teuflesberg, ridden by Robby Albarado for trainer Jamie Sanders, covered the six furlongs over a sloppy main track in 1:11.35.The win was Teuflesberg's third in 11 lifetime starts and increased his career earnings to $157,931 for the partnership of trainer Sanders, Gary Logsdon and Don Kelly. He paid $4.80, $3.60 and $2.20 as the favorite in the field of eight."I had a great trip," Albarado said. "This little colt, he's learning how to settle down and harness that speed a little bit. He's been well matched all year long. He ran against the best in New York all summer. Now he's kind of getting his way."Jack Grant set a torrid early pace of 21.48 seconds for the first quarter-mile and :45.28 for the half, but Teuflesberg took over near the top of the stretch and drew clear.Probation Ready closed for second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Jack Grant, who held on for third. Probation Ready returned $3.60 and $3, while Jack Grant paid $4.20 to show.Sanders said Teuflesberg is an early-bird nominee for the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) and could return in either the grade III Lecomte Jan. 13 or the grade III Risen Star Feb. 10.A son of Johannesburg bred in Kentucky by Richard Giapelli, Teuflesberg was sold for $9,000 at the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. Teuflesberg was a seasoned stakes horse by the time he broke his maiden in his seventh career start, having five stakes outings, including second in the Sanford Stakes (gr. II), before finding his way into the winner's circle. He subsequently finished 10th in the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile and won an allowance before being given a month off previous to Sunday's victory.
Members of the Allstate Sugar Bowl committee made the trophy presentation. LSU faces Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3, 2007.Equibase)