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Zoomin For Grace Posts Best Effort to Win $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day QH Classic


Zoomin For Grace, with jockey J.R. Ramirez aboard, wins the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day QH Classic(RG2) at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans on Saturday.

© Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir

NEW ORLEANS, LA—DECEMBER 8, 2018—The 5-year-old Zoomin For Grace posted the best race of his career on Saturday to win the $100,000 Champions Day QH Classic at Fair Grounds Race Course. Lightemupwithcharm finished 2 ˝ lengths off the leader in second and Heza Louisiana Dash was a head back for third.

Starting today off a third-place effort in the Opelousas Stakes November 10th at Evangeline Downs, Zoomin For Grace rolled over the 440 yards, on a sloppy (sealed) track under jockey J.R. Ramirez, to stop the clock at :21.731 seconds, a 98 speed index into a 15 mph crosswind.

"I didn’t know the horse," Ramirez said after the big win. "He belongs to a friend of mine who was pretty high on him stepping up against these. He just told me to make sure to keep his feet on the ground in the gate. He broke well and drew off".

Trainer Alberto Solis saddled the son of multiple Grade 1 sire Zoomin For Bux to his first career stakes win for owner Belinda Arriaga. A winner of four of 11 starts, the sorrel gelding had only one previous start in a stakes race. The $45,000 winner's purse boosted his bankroll to $109,680.

Julien R. Stevens III bred Zoomin For Grace from the First Down Dash mare Fire And Grace.

Champions Day Classic runner-up Lightemupwithcharm races for owner Saul Dorado and is trained by Miguel Rodriguez. The multiple grade stakes winning 4-year-old by Sizzlin Cartel was bred by Jumonville Farms from the Feature Mr Jess mare Grace Filled Charm.

Winner of both the Louisiana Classic Stakes(RG2) and the Vals Fortune Stakes(RG2) in 2018, the brown gelding has compiled a (20) 6-3-2 record and the $17,000 second-place payday brings his earnings to $214,520. Luis Vivanco had the riding call.

T M Ranch's multiple graded winner Heza Louisiana Dash picked up $10,000 for finishing third. Saddled by champion trainer Kenneth Roberts, Sr. and ridden by jockey Gilbert Ortiz, Heza Louisiana Dash has earned more than $531,000.

Co-bred by Jumonville Farms and Burnett Ranch the 6-year-old Heza Fast Dash gelding is out of Eyejesslovelouisiana by Mr Jess Perry. A six-time stakes winner, Heza Louisiana Dash has compiled a (31) 12-8-6 record.

Zoomin For Grace rewarded backers with $8.60 to win, $4.20 to place and $3.60 to show. Lightemupwithcharm paid $4.80 and $3.80 and Heza Louisiana Dash returned $4.40 to show.

Its It Is, San Lorenzo Corona, Heza Bell Perry, Son Cc Jrs Coronas Shadow, Buds World, Game On Vince, Non Stop Patriot and Coronaoro completed the field.


Courtesy Ses