Sophomore Filly Taylor’s Spirit May Take On Males In Super Derby Prelude

Nominations for the annual Louisiana Cup Day at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs on Saturday, August 3 have closed with considerable interest from local and nationally prominent horsemen. The Louisiana Cup Day program will feature six divisional stakes for accredited Louisiana-breds and the $60,000 Super Derby Prelude for 3-year-olds going a mile and one-sixteenth on the main track. The winner will earn a berth to the Grade 3, $300,000 Super Derby on Saturday, September 7, which is the richest race of the 2019 Louisiana Downs Thoroughbred racing season.

The Super Derby Prelude closed with 24 nominations with Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen considering options for three runners. They include Comedian, a colt by Into Mischief who broke his maiden earlier this year at Oaklawn Park and ran in the $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational Stakes on May 4. He is owned by Bloom Racing Stable, the connections behind distaff superstar Midnight Bisou.

The two other nominees are owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC. Rotation, a son of Tapit, ran fourth in the Riley Allision Derby at Sunland Park and recently competed at the allowance level at Churchill Downs. Wicked Indeed, also sired by Tapit, has tested the wagers in two Grade 3 stakes, running fourth in both the LeComte at Fair Grounds and the Sunland Derby at Sunland Park.

Asmussen won the 2018 Super Derby with Limation for owner Michael Lankford.

As reported last week, trainer Scott Gelner who won stakes last year on both Louisiana Cup Day and the Super Derby undercard, has nominated Taylor’s Spirit for the Prelude. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Algorithms, owned by Norman Stables, LLC, won the $60,000 Happy Ticket last September at Louisiana Downs and added three more stakes wins since that victory. She has competed in graded stakes company, running last year at Churchill Downs in the Grade 2, $200,000 Pocahontas. Taylor’s Spirit exits a third-place finish in the Grade 3, $200,000 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows on July 5. She’s won six of her 12 starts and $250,730 since making her debut in Iowa last July. Also, Mr Money Bags has been nominated by his conditioner, Mike Neatherlin. Bred by his owner, Roy W. Cobb, Mr Money Bags established himself as a serious runner earlier this year at Sam Houston Race Park, winning two consecutive stakes by a combined margin of 12 lengths. Sired by Silver City, Mr Money Bags was Triple Crown nominated by his connections, and following his win in the Groovy Stakes in Houston, shipped to Churchill Downs to compete in the Grade 3, $400,000 Pat Day Mile. He garnered another stakes win at Lone Star Park on June 1 and made his most recent start in the $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows.

The draw for the following Louisiana Cup Day stakes will take place on July 27.

$50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile 2 YO LA-Bred Six furlongs
$50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies 2 YO Fillies LA-Bred Six furlongs
$50,000 Louisiana Cup Filly & Mare Sprint 3 YO & Up F&M, LA-Bred Six furlongs
$50,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint 3 YO & Up LA-Bred Six furlongs
$50,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic 3 YO & Up LA-Bred 1 1/16 miles (T)
$50,000 Louisiana Distaff 3 YO & Up F & M LA-Bred 1 1/16 miles (T)
$60,000 Super Derby Prelude 3 Y0 1 1/16 miles

“We are pleased with the interest from horsemen for the Louisiana Cup Day stakes,” said David Heitzmann, Harrah’s Louisiana Downs Director of Racing. “It will be an excellent showcase for Louisiana-breds and once again, the top four runners in the Prelude will earn a berth to the Grade 3 Super Derby on September 7 with all fees waived.”