Louisiana Premier Night at Delta Downs consists of 10 stakes races for Louisiana breds with total purses of $1 million up for grabs. Conditions were less than ideal with rains earlier in the card and a sloppy track downgraded to muddy for the final 3 races, and race time temperature of 60 degrees.
The highlight race of the night was the $200,000 Premier Night Championship, for older horses going 1 1/16 miles. Star Guitar was sent off as the 3-5 favorite in the field of 10, going for his unprecedented fourth win in this event. In to challenge him included 7-2 Unitas and 9-2 Populist Politics. Jockey Diego Saenz sent Unitas to the lead and he set fractions of 22.87, 46.95, and 1:12.11 over the muddy, sealed surface while pressed by 66-1 longest shot Classic Cascade. Into the stretch, Classic Cascade took a short lead but Star Guitar, who was slowest early, closed with a rush on the outside to win going away by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:45.61. It was another length back to late-running Populist Politics third.
Winning trainer Al Stall Jr. said, "I'm glad that's over with. He couldn't stand up on this racetrack He was struggling, but that's the difference between a horse that's made $1.5 million and a regular horse. It's just a good thing the horse was looking perfect and training perfect. He needed everything he had to get there tonight." Jockey Corey Lanerie added, "He stumbled a couple times, and I got a little worried down the backside he might not handle this track."
Results Chart from Daily Racing Form
