Mp Adored Wins First Out Of Season Clocking Fastest Time To The $100,000 estimated Mardi Gras Oaks

Mp Adored, ridden by Arturo Alvarez, wins her trial heat clocking the fastest qualifying time to the $101,418 Mardi Gras Oaks.

© Ann Switalski Photography

BOSSIER CITY, LA––MARCH 6, 2024–Four trials were held Wednesday afternoon for the $101,418 Mardi Gras Oaks at Louisiana Downs. The first race of the day boasted the fastest time of the four race trials with Mp Adored taking the victory.

Fourth out of the gates, Mp Adored, ridden by Arturo Alvarez, made strong strides toward the wire picking up speed late for a 3/4-length victory in her 400-yard trial heat. The daughter of Mr Piloto clocked a 92 speed index in :20.128 seconds and the first placed finish paid $6.80 to win on 7/5 odds

Conditioned by Gilberto Gonzalez, Mp Adored won two races in her freshman campaign, both trials. She placed third in the Lassie Futurity [G2] and was a finalist in the LQHBA Sale Futurity [G1], Lee Berwick Futurity [G1], and Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile [G2]. The three-year-old filly has $99,470 in career earnings and now three wins under her belt

"We were expecting a good effort from her today," said Gonzalez. "She had problems in the gate last year and the mistakes cost her, especially in the (Louisiana Champions Day) Juvenile at Evangeline Downs. We experimented with the flipping halter and just worked on keeping her calm. This filly has a long stride, so we knew she could get 400 yards."

Breeder Grant Farms LLC sold Mp Adored to her current owner Guerras Racing Stables for $15,000 in the 2022 LQHBA Yearling Sale. She is out of the Bigtime Favorite mare Adored Bigtime.

Venus Tlc, also ridden by Arturo Alvarez, broke her maiden in trial four of the Mardi Gras Oaks. The daughter of The Louisiana Cartel goes gate-to-wire for a 3/4-length win clocking the second fastest time in :20.151 seconds with a 91 speed index. The upset victory paid $30.60 to win on 13/1 odds.

Trainer Francisco Campos Sr saddled Venus Tlc for owner Carlos Campos. The Mardi Gras Oaks trials increased her earnings to $10,925 and the finals return will be her first in stakes competition.

Venus Tlc was a $10,000 LQHBA Yearling Sale graduate. She was bred in Louisiana by Jorge Haddad and Jorge Haddad Mestre out of Pamplonna by First Moonflash.

LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity(RG1) winner Special Wild Train B got her fourth consecutive in the thrid trial under jockey Arnulfo Gutierrez.  The Bobby D. Cox owned daughter of Freightrain B posted the thrid fastest time of :20.151 seconds. Tranier Roy Roberts saddled the $484,720 earner from the Tres Seis mare A Special Beauty.  Riley Blanchet is the breeder. 

CLICK HERE for complete details on the $101,418 Mardi Gras Oaks Trials, including horse, sex, sire, dam, dam sire, owner, breeder, trainer and jockey. Finals are to be ran on March 29, 2024.