NEW ORLEANS, LA – Charles Fipke homebred Title Ready took full advantage of the class reilef to win Saturday’s $125,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds.
Trained by Dallas Stewart, Title Ready broke from post 6 under Brian Hernandez Jr. at 5/1 odds and settled into a mid-pack position heading into the clubhouse turn.
Blackberry Wine went straight to the lead and slothed his way through opening fractions of :25.28, :49.53, and 1:13.91 while Grand Luwegee and the 2/1 favorite Wells Bayou gave closest watch.
Blackberry Wine began pulling away when let loose at the top of the stretch, but he hit a wall halfway home that allowed Title Ready to range up and soon sweep past.
Title Ready drew off to win the 1 1/16-mile fast dirt route by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:44.27.
Blackberry Wine remained 2 lengths ahead of Wells Bayou, who was returning from a 9-month layoff.
Sonneman, Silver Prospector, Captivating Moon, and Grand Luwegee completed the order of finish.
Indimaaaj and My Boy Jack were scratched.
Title Ready’s win was his first at the stakes level and came after finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and 10th in the Clark Stakes (G1). The 6-year-old intact son of More Than Ready improved his record to 25-5-6-4 with $656,680 earned.
Title Ready returned $13 to win, $5.40 to place, and $3.60 to show. Blackberry Wine brought back $5.40 to place and $3.80 to show, while Wells Bayou paid $3.40 to show.
