Smoken Wicked, Secret Faith Add Louisiana Futurity to Stakes Resume
New Orleans, La (Dec. 29, 2024) – Louisiana-bred juveniles took centerstage on Sunday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots as two editions of the 6-furlong $100,000 Louisiana Futurity were run, one for the boys and one for the girls. Two of the most promising juveniles of the crop put in impressive efforts as both Valene Farms’ Smoken Wicked and Norman Stables’ Secret Faith won their respective divisions by open lengths, each earning their second stakes score this meet.
The 2-year-old boys were up first on the card and Smoken Wicked returned to the winner’s circle off two weeks’ rest, having won the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile earlier in the month. After stalking on the outside through the turn, the Dallas Stewart trainee powered past Voila Magic, in the stretch to win by 5 lengths.
“He’s a big healthy horse and he continued to eat good in the weeks between races,” Stewart said. “We didn’t breeze him but we gave him some nice strong gallops and he handled that well. He’s a unique physical specimen.”
Sent off at 3-5, the son of Bobby’s Wicked One covered the 6 furlongs in 1:09.58 under jockey Colby Hernandez.
“I told Colby if you’re five in front at the 1/16th pole, I want you to put another five on them,” Stewart said. “Because the other day he got to looking around a little bit. I wanted to make sure he finishes good and won’t get caught on the wire.”
“Today when he popped out of the gates he was there for me and in a perfect spot,” Hernandez said. “I was on the best horse and I knew the race was over going into the turn.”
With a career record of 8-4-1-1, Smoken Wicked has banked $307,542 in earnings.
Secret Faith dominated the filly division of the Louisiana Futurity to win by 7 1/4 lengths. Trained by Jayde Gelner, the Donovan L. Ferguson Memorial victress was bet to 1-9 with Florent Geroux in the irons.
“I just wanted to make sure to keep the pace honest and she did the rest,” Geroux said. “I felt like by far she was the class of the race. She’s very professional. J.J. and his team have done a great job to get her ready for me and she did everything right. She’s very special.”
Bet Towinit broke to the front of the pack, but looming on her outside was Secret Faith, who took the lead by the first call. From there, the win was never in doubt for Secret Faith, stopping the clock in 1:10.83. Bet Towinit held out for second over C C Short Drive.
Having won six of her seven starts, her one loss by a head to Blue Fire last out in the Louisiana Champions Day Lassie, the daughter of Aurelius Maximus has amassed $367,022 in career earnings.
Nine races have been carded for New Years Day at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the beginning of a five-day race week. First post on Wednesday, Jan. 1 is 12:45 p.m. CT.
-30-
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.
