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OL TIME PREACHER MAN DELIVERS NAIL BITER
IN MILLION DOLLAR LQHBA BREEDERS' FUTURITY FINAL
Ol Time Preacher Man (outside) races nose-and-nose with First Prize Jet in the $1 million LQHBA Breeders' Futurity(RG1).
Greg Thompson / Stallionesearch.comOPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 16, 2013—Ol Time Preacher Man ($15.40), under jockey Danny Lavergne, ran down First Prize Jet, ridden by jockey Rodrigo Vallejo, to win the $1,000,0000 LQHBA Breeders' Futurity(G1) Saturday night at Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino. The official winning margin was a nose and the running time for the 400 yards on a track labeled fast was 19.711 seconds.
Winning rider Lavergne stated “I was pretty confident that I had won, but you never know and when they didn’t hang the numbers on the tote board right away I started to get worried.” He added “Everything worked out just right, he broke well and was in contention throughout, when I asked him for his best in mid-stretch he responded and we were able to win the head bob.”
For Lavergne, a Lake Charles native who has captured several leading rider titles at tracks in both Louisiana and Texas during his more than three decades in the saddle; it was his first ever win in a Million-Dollar Race.
It was the second consecutive win for the 2-year-old who broke his maiden in the October 25th trials. The $445,000 winner's purse swelled his career bankroll to $503,222 with a 2-2-1 record in six starts this season. Two races back he was a close second in the $286,560 LQHBA Sale Futurity(RG1) at the Fair Grounds Race Course.
Trainer Kenneth L. Roberts, Sr. was saddling his eighth career LQHBA Breeders' Futurity winner. Owner T M Ranch paid $20,000 for the Heza Fast Dash gelding at the 2012 LQHBA Yearling Sale. Jo Baya Foreman bred him from the Streakin La Jolla mare Jj Streakin Illusion.
At 36 to 1, First Prize Jet ran the biggest race of his career to pocket $220,000 for owner Joe Flores. Jaime Hernandez saddled the Jet Black Patriot gelding out of First Prize Diamond , by Fly Jess Fly. Weetona Stanley bred the sorrel gelding who was an $18,000 LQHBA Yearling in 2012. Also a finalist in the LQHBA Sale Futurity(RG1), First Prize Jet is 1-2-2 in six starts this season and has earned $248,758.
LQHBA Sale Futurity(RG1) winner Philips Streakin put in a late effort to finish a half-length back in third. Fructuoso Huitron saddled the Heza Fast Dash gelding for Jaime Torres. Ridden by Luis Ramirez, Philips Streakin earned $110,000 to bring his earnings mark to $264,000. Rodney and Phillip Debenedetto bred Philips Streakin from the Streakin La Jolla mare Six Streakin Salute.
Leading Louisiana stallion Heza Fast Dash also sired fourth place finisher Heza Fast Rogue and ninth place finisher, Lee Berwick Futurity(RG1) winner Fjr Bread N Butter, who was squeezed back at the start. The four Heza Fast Dash LQHBA Breeders' Futurity(RG1) starters earned a total of $630,500 on Saturday night to push his 2013 earnings mark to nearly $3.5 million.
Completing the field were Bradys March Madness, Jessanoldlove, Oak Tree Eye Opener, Marcys Prize Dashing and Fjr Bread N Butter. Yagouti was scratched.