News - Racing March  28, 2024

Fantasticazoom Jr and Ja B Valiant Win Laverne Perry Memorial Divisions


Fantasticazoom Jr (#4) out nods Game Over (#3) and One Fast Perry (#5) in the $15,000 Laverne Perry Memorial Stakes-Div. 1 Saturday afternoon at Louisiana Downs.

© Hodges Photography / Ann Switalski

BOSSIER CITY, LA—MARCH 14, 2020—Louisiana Downs hosted two divisions for the $15,000 Laverne Perry Memorial Stakes on Saturday's undercard. Fantasticazoom Jr and Ja B Valiant both scored a neck win in their respective races.

Due to the growing concerns and state mandates regarding COVID-19, Harrah’s Louisiana Downs announced that the remainder of the Quarter Horse meet (which culminates on Wednesday, March 18) will be closed to spectators.

"I was planning on being there for the presentation, on behalf of my family, but was unable to attend," said Leigh Perry. "We thank David Heitzmann and Harrah's Louisiana Downs for naming the stake in honor of a great father and contributor to Louisiana breeding and racing."

Laverne Perry Memorial-Division 1

Fantasticazoom Jr rolled to his fifth consecutive win on Saturday by out-nodding Game Overtime in Division 1 of the $15,000 Laverne Perry Memorial Stakes. Ridden by jockey Ricardo Hernandez, Jr., the 4-year-old son of Fantastic Corona Jr completed the 400 yards in :19.828 seconds, equaling a 94 speed index into a 12 mph headwind.

The winning connections of Fantasticazoom Jr accept the Laverne Perry Memorial stakes trophy Saturday at Harrah's Louisiana Downs. © Hodges Photography / Ann Switalski
Jose Carrizales trains the brown colt for owner J & J Stables LLC. Fantasticazoom Jr entered the race off of back-to-back stakes wins in the Harrah's Dash and the Swift Stakes earlier in the Louisiana Downs meet. The $9,000 winner's purse boosted his lifetime earnings to $48170. Sumer Run Inc. bred the colt in Texas from the Azoom mare Zoomshakalaka.

"He's always been good since he was a 2-year-old," Carrizales said following the win. "He was always focused and did what was asked of him. He's a runner; that's what he's thinking about when the gates open. He didn't have the lead today, but still went and caught them."

Runner-up Game Overtime races for owner Rosendo Valdez and is conditioned by Rosendo Valdez, Jr. David Alvarez rode the son of multiple stakes sire Fast Prize Jordan from the Game Patriot mare Good Game Meg. Bred by Daniel Trahan, Game Over time earned $3,o00 for this effort!

One Fast Perry finished another neck back in the blanket finish to earn $1,650 for third. Lanny Keith trains with Everardo Rodriguez getting the ridding call. Also a son of Fast Prize Jordan, One Fast Perry is a Louisiana homebred, races for owner-breeder Eddie Harrison. He is out of the Toast To Dash mare De Bell Perry.

Texaslittlebro, Jess Jj Watt, Little Toy Guns and Runaway Ace completed the field.

Laverne Perry Memorial-Division 2

Ja B Valiant got up by a neck over Dlj Imma B Famous to win the Division 2 of the $15,000 Laverne Perry Memorial Stakes Saturday at Louisiana Downs. Under jockey Bryan Candanosa, the sorrel gelding completed the 400 yards in :19.842 seconds, equaling a 93 speed index into a 12 mph headwind.

Ja B Valiant (#5) gets up over Dlj Imma B Famous in the $15,000 Laverne Perry Memorial Stakes-Div. 2 Saturday afternoon at Louisiana Downs.
© Hodges Photography / Ann Switalski
"We've been running him 350 and I said he needs to go 400 yards and will do a good job," 18-year-old Candanosa said after the win.

Robi Meche conditions the 4-year-old son of multiple stakes sire Mighty B Valiant for owner Lorena Gutierrez. Joe B. Allen bred Ja B Valiant in Texas from the Mr Jess Perry mare Ja Impetuously. It was the fourth win 24 starts the sorrel gelding and the $9,000 winner's purse boosted his earnings to $46,333.

"We got him at Evangeline Downs and we really tried hard. The owners wanted to come get him, but we begged to keep him through Delta," Meche said. "I'm not sure how we turned him around from his seconds, but we will keep going!"

The winning connections of Ja B Valiant accept the Laverne Perry Memorial stakes trophy Saturday at Harrah's Louisiana Downs. © Hodges Photography / Ann Switalski
Dlj Imma B Famous earned $3,000 for finishing second. Eduardo Morales trains the 7-year-old Coronas Leaving You gelding for owner Myron McKinnon. Donald Henderson bred the bay gelding from the Strawflyin Buds mare Yugo Buds. Ricardo Hernandez, Jr. was riding the graded stakes winner of over $162,500.

Saul Dorado's Lightemupwithcharm finished 1-˝ lengths back in third for trainer Miguel Rodriguez. Noe Castaneda rode the multiple graded stakes winning son of Sizzlin Cartel out of Grace Filled Charm by Feature Mr Jess. Jumonville Farms bred the $282,670 earner in Louisiana.

Soft On The Coronas, Strut For Petes Sake, Tuckers Prize and Toast To Monee completed the field.

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Leverne Perry played a key role in successful legislative efforts, which resulted in slot machines at Louisiana racetracks. Serving as Executive Director of LQHBA from 1987-2013, Louisiana Quarter Horse racing flourished into the richest state-bred program in the nation with significant gains in purse money and breeder incentives for mares and stallions of accredited Louisiana-breds.

During his tenure, he helped develop the Youth Scholarship program, the first Mardi Gras Futurity and the first $1,000,000-guaranteed Breeders Futurity for Louisiana-bred foals. His tireless efforts to promote and expand Louisiana racing and breeding helped develop the annual yearling sale into one of the largest state-bred Quarter Horse sales in the country.

In recognition of his 25th year of service as the executive director of the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association, he was honored by AQHA with the 2011 Gordon Crone Special Achievement award. In 2014 he received the LQHBA Lifetime Achievement award. He served on the AQHA Racing Committee and the AQHA Champions committee.

Perry was inducted into the LQHBA Hall of Fame in 2016 and Louisiana Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2002.

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About Harrah's Louisiana Downs
Located near Shreveport in Bossier City, Louisiana, Louisiana Downs opened in 1974 and was purchased by Caesars Entertainment in December 2002. With annual Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing seasons, the track is committed to presenting the highest quality racing programs paired with its 150,000-square foot entertainment complex offering casino gambling, dining and plasma screen televisions for sports and simulcast racing.


Courtesy Ses