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Twenty-One Sophomores Entered in Firecracker Derby Trials


Heritage Place Oaks runner-up Lil Longmire will head Saturday's 400-yard Firecracker Derby (G3) trials at Delta Downs.

© Kira Crook

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

VINTON, LA--June 14, 2022
--Twenty-one 3-year-olds, headed by Ben Peterson's Lil Longmire, are entered in Saturday's 400-yard Firecracker Derby (G3) trials at Delta Downs.

A stakes-winning homebred daughter of the Mr Jess Perry stallion A Revenant trained by Heath Taylor, Lil Longmire is coming off of a second-place finish, one length behind winner Political Rose, in the inaugural 400-yard, $279,000 Heritage Place Oaks at Remington Park on May 28. The filly has earned $113,031 from eight races, and she will be making her first career start at Delta Downs.

Lil Longmire drew post 7 and will be ridden by Gilbert Ortiz in the last of three trials.

Patriot Fireworks, a homebred Jet Black Patriot gelding trained by Kenneth Weeks for owner Lester Colomb Jr., ended his 2-year-old season with a second-place finish, a nose behind winner Jla Indy Rogue, in the December 30, $315,000 Evangeline Downs Futurity (G3). The gelding has banked $65,734 from eight outs, all in Louisiana.

Patriot Fireworks drew post 7 and will be ridden by Arturo Alvarez in the second heat.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the $100,000-added Firecracker Derby final on July 8.

All Delta Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.
Courtesy Ses