Shotgun Hottie gives trainer DeVaux the first of three stakes the Allaire DuPont at Pimlico. (Anita Miskars/Past The Wire)
Fleur De Lis Runner-Up Seeks Graded Stakes Glory In Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove
Darren Rogers/Churchill Downs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Omar Aldabbagh and Jeff Ganje’s millionaire 5-year-old mare Shotgun Hottie will seek her first graded stakes victory in her impressive career when she faces a well-matched group of eight fillies and mares entered in Saturday’s 40th running of the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove Stakes (Grade II) at Churchill Downs.
The Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove, run at 1 1/16 miles, is part of five stellar stakes on the Saturday program which also features the $300,000 Iroquois (GIII); $300,000 Pocahontas; $300,000 Open Mind (Listed); and $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society. First post is 12:45 p.m. and the Locust Grove will go as Race 7 at 3:53 p.m.
Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Shotgun Hottie finished a neck behind Scylla 10 weeks ago in the Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis (GII) at Churchill Downs. A six-time winner, Shotgun Hottie reached millionaire status in her last start when she finished second to Raging Sea in the Shuvee Stakes (GII) at Saratoga. The daughter of Gun Runner will be ridden by Jose Ortizfrom post No. 7.
Shotgun Hottie is set to face several other impressive fillies and mares in the Locust Grove including Claiborne Farm’s recent Groupie Doll Stakes heroine Pigalle. The homebred daughter of Blame pulled a shocking 23-1 upset one month ago in the Groupie Doll Stakes at Ellis Park when she made a bold rally in deep stretch and surged late to defeat Fancy by a neck. Jockey Luan Machado, who rode Pigalle in the Groupie Doll, will have the return call in the Locust Grove and break from post 5.
The Locust Grove field will also include the top Louisiana-bred earner of all-time, Free Like a Girl. Owned by Gerald Bruno, Carl Deville, Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry Caroom, Free Like a Girl burst into the Louisiana-bred record books three weeks ago at Charles Town when she won the $500,000 Pink Ribbon Stakes by three-quarters of a length to boost her career earnings to $1,916,978. Trained by Pomier, Free Like a Girl will be ridden by Luis Saez out of post 2.
Wagering is available on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated and fans can catch all the action live on FanDuel TV.
For more information and to purchase tickets for Saturday’s card, visit http://www.churchilldowns.com/.
For those unable to attend, www.TwinSpires.com is the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated and every race will be broadcast on FanDuel TV.
For more information on the September Meet, visit www.ChurchillDowns.com.
