News - Racing March  28, 2024

Louisiana Champions Day Quarter Horse Classic Ends In Thrilling Dead Heat


Eyeondaprize (inside) and Lifeinthefastlanes(#4) dead heat in the $100,000 restricted Grade 2 Louisiana Champions Day Quarter Horse Classic at Fairgrounds Race Course Saturday.

© Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir

NEW ORLEANS, LA—DECEMBER 11, 2021—Multiple stakes winners Eyeondaprize and Lifeinthefastlanes battled to a dead heat Saturday in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Quarter Horse Classic(RG2) at Fairgrounds Race Course in New Orleans.

The pair of 4-year-old Louisiana-Bred fillies stopped the clock in :21.454 seconds for the 440 yards, equaling a 105 speed index with an 8 mph tailwind. Each filly earned $32,500 for her effort.

Coming off a win in the Opelousas Stakes on November 13th, Lifeinthefastlanes got her 11th win in 17 starts to bring her earnings total to $514,381. The daughter of multiple stakes sire Jess Louisiana Blue was making only her third career start for owner Paragon Farms LLC.

Wade and Kay Loup, Jr. bred Lifeinthefastlanes from the Panther Mountain mare Pantherinthefastlane. David Alvarez had the riding call for champion trainer Kenny Roberts.

“The delay was difficult because she’s one of these fillies that gets nerved up," Roberts said. "But she ran a real good race, and is one of the best I’ve had. I believe this will be her last race."

Coming off a win in the French Quarter Stakes at Evangeline Downs October 30th, Eyeondaprize picked up her eighth career win in 19 starts to bring her earnings total to $142,660. Trainer Rosendo Valdez, Jr. conditions the daughter of multiple stakes sire Fast Prize Jordan for owner Rosendo Valdez.

Daniel Trahan bred the brown filly from the Game Patriot mare Good Game Meg. Noe Castaneda was up.

“She responded pretty good at the end," Castaneda said following the winning ride. "I knew she had the talent to go far; I never gave up on her and she never gave up."

Tuckers Prize finished 1-¼ lengths behind the leaders to earn $10,000 for third. Owned-and-trained by Preston Jourdan, the 5-year-old graded stakes winning son of multiple stakes sire Fast Prize Dash was ridden by Ubaldo Luna. Kirby and Phillip Bruchhaus bred the $206,375 earner from the Game Patriot mare Bb Secrets Game.

Maggies Runaway, Lightemupwithcharm, Heza Bell Perry Jr, Jrs Corona Toast and Hezjessmagic completed the field. Apollitical B Snow was scratched at the gate.

Additional reporting by Martha Claussen.


Courtesy Ses