Young Tuscan First Winner for Louisiana Sire Sassicaia

Young Tuscan  became the first winner for Louisiana stallion Sassicaia  Jan. 8 when the 3-year-old gelding took the first race, a maiden $12,500 claimer, at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Young Tuscan shot to the lead under Charlie Marquez and after splits of :22.36 and :46.78, pulled away by 3 1/2 lengths at the finish, stopping the clock in 1:06.17 for 5 1/2 furlongs. The Elite Thoroughbred Racing-owned runner, trained by Lee Thomas, notched his first victory in seven starts and advanced his earnings to $10,140.

Bred in Louisiana by Royal Kraft Sr., Young Tuscan becomes the fifth winner from 11 foals produced from his dam, the Maria's Mon  mare Broadway's Maria .

Sassicaia, an 11-year-old son of Bernardini  who stands at Michele Rodriguez's Elite Thoroughbreds in Louisiana for an advertised fee of $2,000, won the Toboggan Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack in 2016 for owner Bob LaPenta and trainer Rudy Rodriguez. He was a $1.6 million 2-year-old purchase by bloodstock agent Steve Young in 2013 at The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select 2-year-olds in training sale in Florida. He compiled a 4-6-2 record from 20 starts and made $307,127.

Bred in Kentucky by Masaichiro Abe, Sassicaia is out of the Forestry  mare Hishi Aspen . Grade 1 winner Northern Aspen  is his third dam and the blue hen mare Fall Aspen, is his fourth dam.

Young Tuscan is Sassicaia's lone starter from 23 foals.