Look Back: Master Derby Wins Louisiana Derby

In conjunction with Tom Hall's Throwback Thursday features in BloodHorse Daily, BloodHorse.com each Thursday will present corresponding race stories from the pages of the magazine. 

This week is a recap of the 1975 Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots won by Master Derby, who prepped with a win in the Louisiana Derby Trial (now the Risen Star Stakes [G2]). Written by Edward L. Bowen, the story carried the headline, "Master's Derby," and appeared in the March 31, 1975 issue. 

It also carried the following introduction:

With Foolish Pleasure campaigning in Florida, Louisiana offered a haven for other nominees to the Kentucky classic. The Louisiana Derby attracted Somethingfabulous and L 'Enjoleur from Florida, but they finished unplaced behind Master Derby.

Harry Payne Whitney in 1915 gave the Kentucky Derby a boost when he sent his champion filly, Regret, to win the budding classic. Five years later, Whitney and trainer James Rowe helped get the Louisiana version out of the gate when they won the inaugural running of that Derby win Damask. When only three years old, the Louisiana Derby was won by Black Gold, which then went to Louisville to win the Kentucky Derby and in its fifth running the Louisiana Derby was won by Baggenbaggage, which was second to stablemate Bubbling Over in that year's Kentucky Derby.

The first Louisiana Derby was worth $4,975, and the value was up to $14,750 for Black Gold in 1924. These figures were far below the values of the Kentucky Derby ($52,775 in Black Gold's year) and the Preakness ($54,000 in 1924). The race was, however, competitive initially with the Florida Derby, which was inaugurated in 1926. The Florida race (later renamed the Flamingo), and Florida winter racing in general, flourished quickly, however, and the Louisiana Derby was unable to draw the caliber of horses which later in the spring could win the Kentucky Derby.

In the 1930s, the Louisiana Derby purse dropped to as low as $2,150, but by 1953 the value was above $30,000. While the race drew no more Black Golds, some of its more recent winners did place in the Kentucky Derby—Bass Clef, Blue Skyer, and No Le Hace. In 1962, Admirals Voyage won the Louisiana Derby from Roman Line and Roman Line was then second at Churchill Downs.

This year the purse for the Louisiana Derby (G2) was raised from $75,000 added to $100,000 guaranteed and with a number of trainers expressing a wish to be someplace Foolish Pleasure was not, the race was in a strong position to attract some of the next-rung 3-year-olds from Florida.

Lucien Laurin shipped Somethingfabulous to New Orleans and, so enamored were the Fair Grounds players with the various elements of potential glamour surrounding the colt, that they made him the 2-1 favorite. In addition to being Secretariat's half-brother and carrying the blue and white colors of Meadow Stable,

Somethingfabulous was coming off a creditable performance in the Flamingo Stakes (G1). Making his first start in a stakes, the Northern Dancer—Somethingroyal, by Princequillo, colt had been in contention in the upper stretch in the Flamingo and then finished third, beaten less than five lengths by Foolish Pleasure. He had two works at Fair Grounds, both eye-catching, as he went seven furlongs on a slow track in 1:25 3/5 on March 16 and three furlongs on a fast track in :37 on March 21. Laurin was satisfied with the colt and happy to have Ron Turcotte aboard, as in the Riva Ridge and Secretariat days.

The other Florida invader was Jean-Louis Levesque's syndicated L 'Enjoleur, a colt with striking credentials from last year but far less to recommend him this year. The homebred Buckpasser—Fanfreluche, by Northern Dancer, colt was Horse of the Year in his native Canada, won the Laurel Futurity (G1) in the United States and was ranked second to Foolish Pleasure on the Experimental Free Handicap. In Florida during winter, he was fourth in his debut in the nine-furlong Everglades Stakes (G2), an acceptable first time out for a classic contender, but then he was sixth, beaten 16 lengths, in the Flamingo.

While they went strongly for Somethingfabulous, Fair Grounds bettors approached L 'Enjoleur with some restraint and he wound up fourth choice at 9-2. Between the two Florida invaders in the odds were a pair of locally raced runners, Master Derby and Colonel Power. Master Derby, which last year won a division of the Dragoon Stakes (G3) and then took the Kindergarten Stakes (G3) in Pennsylvania, placed behind Circle Home in his last two races of 1974.

In his first two races of this year, Mrs. Robert Lehmann's colt by Dust Commander—Madam Jerry, by Royal Coinage, was second and fourth behind Colonel Power in allowance races then he wore down Honey Mark to win another overnight race on Feb. 17. That was followed by an impressive score of 2 1/2 lengths in the Louisiana Derby Trial on March 9, a result that snapped a five-race winning streak for Harvey Peltier's stakes-winning Colonel Power (Diplomat Way—Overstreet, by Vertex).

In the Louisiana Derby field of 11, Master Derby and L'Enjoleur each carried 123 pounds, as did Promised City, coming in after winning a $50,000 overnight race at Oaklawn Park. Somethingfabulous carried 115.

Laurin wanted Turcotte to lay off the pace, about third, and the rider was able to follow that wish to the letter. Colored T. V., a 92-1 shot, had a few moments of glory on the front, with Colonel Power second, the favorite third, and L'Enjoleur fourth. Darrell McHargue kept Master Derby somewhat farther back than the middle of the pack and twice was nearly blocked but he had moved to fifth after six furlongs.

Colonel Power had streaked to a four-length lead by that time, while the Florida pair was beginning to weaken. In the stretch, Master Derby caught Colonel Power in time to win by a length in 1:49 3/5, time that was four-fifths of a second slower than the track record.

Master Derby earned $61,000 for the Golden Chance Farm, whose founder, the late Robert Lehmann, won the 1970 Kentucky Derby with the colt's sire, Dust Commander.

Colonel Power held second by a nose over another Fair Grounds regular, Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Roberts' Honey Mark (Traffic Mark—Honey Lips, by Gun Magic). The latter rallied from seventh.

Somethingfabulous faded to seventh, L'Enjoleur to 10th. Each has shown enough in the past to indicate that neither performance may be definitive, but if they are going to be classic colts, their time for improvement is short.