Stanley Seelig's Follow the Lite trailed the early leaders but led them all at the wire in Friday's $75,000 Esplanade Stakes at Fair Grounds.Under E.J. Perrodin, the daughter of Lite the Fuse crossed under the wire 2 3/4 lengths in front of runner-up All for Fashion and earned the winner's $45,000 share of the purse to increase her career earnings to $225,540. She covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.54 and paid $18.80, $7.20, and $4.Winning trainer Pat Mouton claimed Follow the Lite for Seelig in October at Louisiana Downs.Mouton also won last month's Thanksgiving Handicap with recent claim Cort's P.B.Pacesetter Mykindasaint set most of the early fractions of :22.41 and :46.20 but weakened late to finish three lengths behind All for Fashion. Odds-on favorite Hot Storm was 3 1/2 lengths further back in fourth.All for Fashion paid $4, and $3.40, while Mykindasaint returned $4.20.
(Chart, Equibase)
