Accomplished Girl Adds Bobby Kelly Memorial for Second Stakes Score of Meet
New Orleans, La (Feb. 1, 2025) – Gentry Farms’ Accomplished Girl scored her second stakes victory of the meet at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, adding the $100,000 Robert “Bobby” Kelly Memorial to her top honors in the Pan Zareta. Contested going 5 1/2 furlongs over a firm turf course, Accomplished Girl stopped the clock in 1:05.45.
Piloted by Jose Ortiz for trainer Steve Asmussen, Accomplished Girl broke sharpest of the nine older fillies and mares but conceded the lead to the outside pace presence Speedy Traveler, who posted an opening quarter-mile in :22.94. With her target defined, Accomplished Girl tracked from the rail until tipping out at the quarter pole to run down Speedy Traveler, besting her in the final stages to win by 3/4 lengths.
“She broke really good out of the gate and I was able to track the leader,” Ortiz said. “When I asked her to go, she was there for me. It was a great run from the quarter pole to the wire. She is a really nice horse and knows how to win.”
Big Trouble finished a head shy of Speedy Traveler for third. After breaking near the back of the pack, Oeuvre managed fourth, followed by Cupids Crush, High Class, Non Violence, Runninwiththeboyz, and Riley Jean.
The Bobby Kelly Memorial was the third start of the meet for the 5-year-old daughter of Street Boss. Victorious across the grass in the Pan Zareta, Accomplished Girl finished third in December’s off-the-turf Nelson J. Menard.
“We were very happy to have her back on the turf today,” assistant trainer Scott Blasi said. “She ran on the dirt last time which is not her best surface. It’s been a beautiful day here at Fair Grounds. Filly ran a really nice race and Jose worked out a really good trip.”
Sent off as the 9-5 favorite, Accomplished Girl paid $5.60, $4.00, and $2.60.
The graded stakes winner Accomplished Girl has achieved a career record of 18-6-3-1 with $620,296 in lifetime earnings.
Live racing at Fair Grounds continues on Sunday with a 12:45 p.m. CT first post. The Thoroughbred action picks back up next Thursday through Saturday, but there will be no live racing on Sunday, Feb. 9.
Fair Grounds Announces “Twilight Tailgate Racing” on Super Bowl Weekend
With New Orleans serving as the host city for Super Bowl LIX, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will be joining the festivities by holding “Twilight Tailgate Racing” on Saturday, Feb. 8th. First post for the 8-race program will be 5 p.m. CT and all races will have a Superbowl theme. There will be a DJ in the Jamison Bar from 4 – 9 p.m. and The Wiseguys will be playing on the 4th floor in the Clubhouse from 8 – 11 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.fgno.com and through Ticketmaster.
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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, La, Fair Grounds, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 15 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 153rd Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 112th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 22, 2024 through March 23, 2025. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.
