Mobile Bay, Prado Rally to Super Derby Win
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Mobile Bay missed in the prep but delivered in the race that counted, rallying to victory in the $400,000 Super Derby (gr. II) Sept. 12 at Louisiana Downs.
The Tigertail Ranch homebred saw his three-race win streak come to an end when he finished third in the Super Derby Prelude Stakes Aug. 8 at Louisiana Downs, but on Saturday the Louisiana-bred son of Lone Star Special rallied past three horses in the stretch to secure the first graded stakes win of his career.
Early on, Emerald Downs Derby winner Prime Engine had things his way leading through a quarter-mile in :23.73 and a half-mile in :49.47. But soon after that half-mile, Prime Engine had enough and Super Derby Prelude winner The Pickett Factor and runner-up Allied Air Raid battled for the lead through the final turn.
In the stretch those two were joined by Chocopologie, but Mobile Bay, with Edgar Prado aboard for the first time, joined the party outside the trio and drew off late for a clear victory, completing 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.83 on a fast track. While Prado added another nice win to his Racing Hall of Fame career, trainer Victor Arceneaux secured his first graded stakes win.
Mobile Bay paid $10.60 to win, $5.60 to place, and $3 to show. Chocopologie finished second and returned $10.20 and $4.60, while favorite Allied Air Raid finished third—earning his second graded stakes placing—and paid $2.60 to show.
A race before the Super Derby, Charlie Smith homebred String King rallied from fifth to win the $75,000 Unbridled Stakes for 3-year-olds and older on the turf. The Louisiana-bred 7-year-old Crowned King gelding, who secured a grade III win earlier this season, notched the 13th stakes win of his storied career in the Unbridled.
A pair of 2-year-olds secured the first stakes wins of their respective careers Saturday in divisions of the Louisiana Stallion Stakes. In the colts and geldings division, Mintmere Thoroughbreds' Our Rapidash, by Half Ours , rolled to a 3 1/4-length victory in the seven-furlong test. In the filly division at the same distance, Hickory Stables' Ten Crowns, by Tenpins, rallied from sixth to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
Other stakes winners on Saturday's card included Haunted Heroine, a daughter of Ghostzapper who won the River Cities Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf ; Saritta, who won the Happy Ticket Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on the turf ; and Uncle Brennie, who won the Sunday Silence Stakes for 2-year-olds on the turf.