Sunbean Grinds Out LA Champions Day Repeat
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Last in the early running, Brittlyn Stable's homebred Sunbean edged ahead in deep stretch and scored a repeat win in the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic Dec. 13 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots .
The 4-year-old son of Brahms was all out in the stretch to tally a hard-fought neck victory over stablemate and 20-1 longshot Watch My Smoke, who was disqualified to third after drifting out in front of former claimer One King's Man in the final furlong. One King's Man, who crossed the finish line three-quarters of a length behind Watch My Smoke, was elevated to second in the compact field of five.
With Corey Lanerie at the reins, Sunbean covered the 1 1/8-mile race on a fast track was 1:51.81.
The Classic was one of seven stakes worth at least $100,000 on Saturday's program at Fair Grounds.
Sunbean became the sixth Louisiana-bred millionaire as he boosted his lifetime bankroll to $1,000,150 with the $90,000 winner's share of the Louisiana Champions Day Classic purse. He took last year's edition of the race by a nose from String King.
Saturday's win at 3-10 odds marked Sunbean's third straight victory in six weeks. He came in off a pair of triumphs at Delta Downs, most recently in the Delta Mile Stakes Nov. 22 after taking the Gold Cup Stakes there Nov. 1.
Sunbean broke two or three lengths behind his rivals after being fractious at the start and trailed the field. Watch My Smoke jumped out first to lead and opened a 4 1/2-length advantage from Request a Puck down the backstretch.
Passing the six-furlong mark, One Man's King had adanced from fourth to second behind Watch My Smoke, with Sunbean now in striking distance in third. The winner commenced his bid with a smart rally in upper stretch, collared Watch My Smoke, and outfought that one through the final eighth to prevail.The victory was worth $2.60.
Sunbean has a 13-2-1 career line from 20 career starts and won seven of nine races this year. His dam, the winning Malagra mare X Strawdnair, has five other stakes performers, including stakes winners Brother Bean, Mean Butterbean, Miss Bean Wah, and Beanwah'smachine.
Fellow Brittlyn Stable homebred Star Guitar leads the list of Louisiana-bred earners with prize money of $1,749,862. He is followed by Happy Ticket, with $1,688,838; Scott's Scoundrel, $1,270,052; Vicar's In Trouble, $1,228,292; Superior Storm, $1,066,873; and newly minted millionaire Sunbean.
Also on Louisiana Champions Day:
—Charles C. Smith's String King won the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf while lowering the about 1 1/16-mile turf course record to 1:41.84, eclipsing the standard set by Dixie Poker Ace in 1994. The 6-year-old Crowned King gelding sat midpack before launching a strong stretch run that would carry him to a 1 1/2-length victory over Tiger Run and Stormdriver. The victory was his 14th in 33 career starts and comes one year after finishing second in the Classic to Sunbean by a heartbreaking nose.
—The $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies produced a stellar wire-to-wire victory for Eugenia Thompson and Hickory Stables' Our Quista, who outlasted closing favorite I Dazzle down the stretch for a 2 1/2-length victory. The daughter of Half Ours won for the fourth time in seven starts for trainer Al Cates and covered the 1 1/16 miles on the main track in 1:46.40.
—The $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint featured one of the most thrilling finishes of the day when William Deckwa Jr.'s Too Dim overcame an impossible start—spotting the field more than six lengths—and ran down favored defending winner Heitai in the final yards. Too Dim won by a neck under Miguel Mena for trainer Eddie Johnston. The victory was Too Dim's second straight over Heitai after a Nov. 23 half-length decision in a muddy optional claimer. The 5-year-old gelded son of Mutakddim completed the six furlongs in 1:10.08 while winning his 10th race in 23 lifetime starts.
—The $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint proved a formful event as the two favorites— Afternoon Tango and Blessed Immaculata—finished one-two. Big Aut Farms' Afternoon Tango proved the better of the duo as the daughter of Afternoon Deelites powered home a two-length victor over her rival, improving on her runner-up finish in last year's event. Ridden by Diego Saenz for Patrick Devereux, the 4-year-old filly swooped past the leading bunch and coasted to victory.
—The $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile saw a promising and undefeated gelding stay that way in Phyllis Hodges' Mr. L. S. Shoe, who circled the leaders en route to a three-length victory over Jazzy Rebel and Grande Basin. Trained by James "Sweet" Hodges and ridden by James Graham, the son of Forefathers ran the six-furlong distance in 1:11.68 and improved his record to 3-for-3.
—The $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie was an exciting display of class and closing speed as Gary Scherer and Bill Ulwelling's Wind Chill Factor won by 4 3/4 lengths. Ridden by Willie Martinez, the daughter of Successful Appeal won for the third time in four starts while completing the six furlongs in 1:11.67. Longshot Lady Emily Sage was second and odds-on favorite Vivian Da Bling finished third.