(Chart, Equibase)
Kazoo established himself as a new shooter in Fair Grounds' sprint series, winning the $75,000 F.W. Gaudin Memorial Handicap in stakes-record time Sunday. Kazoo ran six furlongs on a fast main track in a stakes record time of 1:09.38 and returned $19.20, $8.20 and $29.80. Runner-up Cojet returned $6.20 and $16, while Gracie's Dancer paid $44.20 to show. Odds-on favorite Mountain General finished fourth, creating the huge show prices. Of the $150,553 wagered to show, $134,890 was bet on Mountain General. Owned by Gary and Mary West, Kazoo's first stakes win came in his 18th lifetime start for trainer Dallas Stewart. The 4-year-old son of Tabasco Cat boosted his total earnings to $203,216 with his fifth win from 18 starts. "This is his first stakes win, but I knew he had the ability at Saratoga," said Stewart, who scored his first Fair Grounds stakes win since Dollar's Bill triumph in the 2001 Risen Star Stakes. "We didn't have any spots at Churchill to run, so he was ready for here." Ridden by Robby Albarado, Kazoo took the six-horse field gate-to-wire. "He broke well on the outside and got clear easy," said Albarado, who recorded four winners on the day's card. "The slow second quarter definitely helped. When I called on him he gave me a lot of run. This horse has a lot of ability and you knew that when he outran Day Trader at Saratoga." Albarado coasted Kazoo through fractions of :22.26 for the quarter-mile and :45.53 for the half before pulling away in the stretch to win by two lengths. Cojet nosed out Gracie's Dancer for the place position, while Mountain General, who finally got into gear late, finished another head back in fourth.