Corona Bolt with Florent Geroux aboard leads the field into the stretch and goes on to capture the 73rd running of the Sugar Bowl Stakes at Fair Grounds. *Hodges Photography/Jan Brubaker)
“Road to the Derby Kickoff Day”
Fair Grounds Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Corona Bolt went straight to the front against the juvenile boys and was never menaced winning the $100,000 Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots by 6 3/4 lengths.
Florent Geroux rode Corona Bolt to victory for trainer Brad Cox and owners Stonestreet Stables. He ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.96.
“We’ll see how he comes out of this,” Cox said, “but based on today, I think he deserves the opportunity to try two turns. He’s a nice colt, he’s got enough scope about himself. There was no intent on necessarily being on the lead, we thought he’d let him break and settle into the race with natural speed and found himself on the lead.”
The victory was worth $60,000 and boosted Corona Bolt’s earnings to $102,000 with a perfect record in two starts.
Corona Bolt got away from the gate fast from post 3 in the field of six fillies and mares and rattled off an opening quarter mile in :22.24 and a half-mile in :45.92 as Late September and Machine Gun Man attempted to keep up. Distorted Pro kept to the rail settling towards the back and made a game finish for second after battling Toddchero who was last away.
“When you’re a heavy favorite like this you try not to think too much as long as the horse cooperates and breaks well,” Geroux said. “So when he broke sharp I just tried to take command and was able to take control all the way to the wire.”
For Sugar Bowl, Race 4, forward to 5:34.
Corona Bolt paid $3.00, $2.20 and $2.10 as the 1-2 favorite. Distorted Pro, also trained by Brad Cox, came in second. Toddchero, Late September, Alto Road, and Machine Gun Man completed the order of finish.
Corona Bolt is the son Bolt d’Oro out of the Quiet American dam Calmbeforethestorm and was bred in Kentucky by Summerfield Sales Agency, Inc. & Etarip Stables.
Racing at Fair Grounds is back on Thursday with the first post scheduled for 1:15 p.m. CT and a card of eight races on the dirt. On Saturday, Dec 31, the stakes action picks back up with the $100,000 Pago Hop, $100,000 Woodchopper, the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity (Boys), and the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity (Girls).
