Oeuvre holds on to win the Pan Zareta (Hodges Photography)
Fair Grounds Press Release
NEW ORLEANS— Oeuvre backed out of a four-pronged duel early and saved enough run late to chase down Perfect Happiness and hold off the late-flying Portilla to the wire to win by a diminishing 3/4 length in the 57th running of the $100,000 Pan Zareta Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Oeuvre ran 5 1/2 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:04.86, racking up the seventh win of her 3-year-old season overall and the second of the stakes variety. Jareth Loveberry rode the winner for trainer Chris Block.
Third-favorite Perfect Happiness kept her nose ahead of Oeuvre and the other two early speedsters while carving out early fractions of 22:12 and 45.60. Meanwhile, Oeuvre relaxed in the turn as Perfect Happiness continued on, sparring and putting away from New Boss through the stretch. At the sixteenth pole, Oeuvre re-engaged Perfect Happiness and wrestled away an advantage while Portilla rallied down the five-path in pursuit of the top pair, eventually stealing the place honors from Perfect Happiness in the last strides.
“We were able to fend off some pressure from the backside and finally get a breather around the turn and had enough to finish.” Jareth Loveberry said. “She’s been really good to us all year. She gets nervous but the whole Block team has done really well to calm her throughout the year.”
Illinois-bred and owned by Richard Perkins, Oeuvre is the daughter of Shackleford and out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Love This Kitten. Winning her third race in a row, she paid $5.60, $3.60, and $2.20 as the 9-5 favorite.
Behind Portilla and Perfect Happiness, Touch of Class, New Boss, Cashable, and Elle’s Town completed the order of finish.
Chris Block reported that Oeuvre will winter at Fair Grounds and run in the older filly sprint stakes series.
Oeuvre now boasts career earnings of $353,126 from a record of 8-3-2 in 14 starts.
Fair Grounds resumes live racing on Sunday with an eight-race card and a first post of 1:15 p.m. CT.
