Gold Street Scores in Sugar Bowl Stakes

Mike McCarty's Gold Street battled early in the $75,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes and outlasted five rivals to score his first stakes win in the six-furlong event for 2-year-olds. 

The Sugar Bowl was one of six stakes on a 14-race card Dec. 21 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. 

Gold Street, the even-money favorite, made his second consecutive start on a sloppy track after breaking his maiden Nov. 23 in the slop at Churchill Downs. The turf races were moved off the grass because of rain in the New Orleans area.

Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. was aboard Gold Street, who was a head behind Ryan's Cat through the first half-mile. The fractions were :22.66 and :46.66. Ryan's Cat backed up after leading the first two-thirds of the race, and Amongst emerged from off the pace as a threat to Gold Street. Amongst tried to grind it out on the outside, but Gold Street handled the slop with ease and drew off by 3 1/2 lengths. 

The final time was 1:11.20.

"He's a sharp horse that always breaks well," Santana said. "The track today is holding speed, so I wanted to let him break and put us in a good spot near the leaders. He's improving every day. He ran a good race at Keeneland and then went to Churchill and broke his maiden really nice. Today he just put us in a good spot and got the job done."

Amongst, Axiomo, Shashashakemeup, Ryan's Cat, and Self Taught completed the order of finish.

Though the Sugar Bowl does not offer points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, it leads up to Fair Grounds' Lecomte Stakes (G3), Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford-Lincoln (G2), and TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), all points-paying preps for 3-year-olds in 2020.

Gold Street, by Street Boss , was bred in Kentucky by Erich Brehm. He is out of the stakes-placed Fusaichi Pegasus mare Morakami, also the dam of grade 3-placed Oh Marvelous Me and stakes-placed Over Thinking. Morakami foaled Texas Red  fillies in 2018 and 2019. She was reported bred back to Kitten's Joy .

McCarty purchased Gold Street for $150,000 from St George Sales' consignment to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The colt was first bought by David Ross, with James Bredin Bloodstock as agent, for $55,000 at the 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sales Winter Mixed Sale, where he was consigned by Abbie Road Farm.

The Sugar Bowl leaves Gold Street with a pair of firsts and seconds in five starts. He's earned $135,218.

Video: Sugar Bowl S. (BT)

Juddmonte Farms' homebred 2-year-old filly Taraz romped in the $75,000 Letellier Memorial Stakes, running six furlongs in 1:10.83 under jockey Florent Geroux. The Brad Cox trainee, by Into Mischief , remained undefeated in two starts with her 11 1/4-length win.

"She felt great underneath me. One of the best horses I've been on, feeling what I had underneath me," Geroux said. "We've liked her from the beginning, and sometimes you don't know how they will perform in the afternoon, especially with an off track like today, but she handled it perfect. The goal is to stretch her out and run her long. We just wanted to sprint her one more time and give her a race. She's a big, beautiful filly and is well bred, so we have high hopes for her."

Michael Hui, Hooties Racing, and WSS Racing's Pete's Play Call earned his first stakes victory in an off-the-turf $75,000 Bonapaw Stakes, beating favorite Wilbo by 2 1/2 lengths. The 6-year-old Munnings  gelding, claimed by trainer Mike Maker for $80,000 in September, completed the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.38 with Santana up.

Stonehaven Steadings' Notapradaprice pushed her earnings over the $500,000 mark by winning the $75,000 Blushing K. D. Stakes off the turf. The 5-year-old Paddy O'Prado mare trained by Eddie Kenneally wired the field, drew off by 6 1/2 lengths under Corey Lanerie, and wrapped up 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.88.

The majority of the field scratched after the $75,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes was moved off the turf, but Lothenbach Stables homebred Captivating Moon made the best of the sloppy conditions and rallied to his first stakes win, scoring by 1 3/4 lengths. Chris Block trains the 4-year-old Malibu Moon  colt, who completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.82 with Brian Hernandez Jr. in the irons.

Lawrence Roman, Heads Up Racing, and Lucky Dog Stables' Pioneer Spirit, a $150,000 claim last out, returned to win the $75,000 Tenacious Stakes in an all-out effort under David Cohen. Robertino Diodoro trains the 6-year-old Malibu Moon son, who won by a head and ran one mile and 70 yards in 1:44.09.

Ballard High was pulled up after leaving the backstretch in the Tenacious and vanned off. He suffered a broken shoulder and was euthanized due to the extent of the injury, as first reported by Daily Racing Form.

Mr. Monomoy, a half brother to champion Monomoy Girl, headlined an allowance optional claiming event for 2-year-olds but was caught late as Lynn's Map got his head in front at the wire. The winner completed one mile and 70 yards in 1:45.09 with Lanerie aboard. Lynn's Map, a Liam's Map  colt, is trained by Mark Casse for HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud.