Foley-trained Camaro Z takes Black Gold

·         “Hammer Time” in the Eddie Johnston for Kentucky owner Chester Thomas

Fair Grounds stakes recaps by track media department (above: Camaro Z winning Black Gold under red-hot Corey Lanerier) Hodges Photography

New Orleans, La (March 2, 2024) – In an all-out slugfest down the homestretch, Camaro Z outfought Count Dracula to win the 66th running of $100,000 Black Gold Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Owned by Kentuckians Terry Stephens, Pravin Patel, and Tagg Team Racing, Camaro Z delivered and overcame multiple blows while battling his outside rival to prevail by a neck.

Trained by Greg Foley, Camaro Z’s pilot was Corey Lanerie. A winner of three races on the day, Lanerie who made the traditional walk to Black Gold’s grave in the infield to lay the ceremonial wreath. Descendants of Black Gold’s owner Rosa Hoots were on hand to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of becoming the first Louisiana Derby champion to go on and win the Kentucky Derby.  

With the day’s races taken off the turf, the son of Liam’s Map beat out five 3-year-old peers, going 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.97 over a main track labeled “muddy.” 

“We were good with coming off the turf,” Foley said. “Figured there would be several scratches, shorter field and all that–it worked out. Corey gave him a good ride, there was a little speed in there. Our horse has good tactical speed. I just told (Corey) to let him sit and make his run at the end of the race today.”

Bet down to 7-5 favoritism, Bear River set the pace, going :24.13 and :47.89 through the opening fractions. Count Dracula stalked to the leader’s outside, while Camaro Z rated in third along the rail. Though he failed to match the leaders strides in the far turn, Camaro Z revved up coming into the stretch, muscling off the rail with a bump to engage Count Dracula. The gloves were taken off and each rival laid their hearts on the mat with Camaro Z winning the feisty duel to the wire. 

“(Greg Foley) told me that in (Camaro Z’s) last race he thought he got in a speed duel, but that he didn’t need the lead today,” Lanerie said. “The 8 horse (Count Dracula) broke really well, but I went with the 3 (Bear River) and he was happy sitting in third position. When I called on him between the three-eighths and the five-sixteenths, he made me think I didn’t have the horse I needed. But when we got to the quarter pole, the hole got smaller but he got braver and he took me right through.”

Rock’n a Halo kicked late to grab third. Yo Daddy rounded out the superfecta. Bear River faded to fifth and Gorilla Trek ran last throughout. 

“With a trainer like Greg Foley and Corey Lanerie on the mount, there was never a doubt. I felt guilty betting on him,” said owner Terry Stephens, who is from Russell Springs, Ky. “He gave us a little thrill down the stretch but he prevailed.”

Having broken his maiden on the local turf course, Camaro Z now tallies a career record of 6-2-2-0 with $120,450 in the bank. He started his career at Keeneland and Churchill Downs before relocating with Foley’s Fair Grounds division for the winter.

Cashing on Camaro Z at the windows returned $11.60, $4.80, and $3.40.

“Hammer Time” in the Eddie Johnston as Jack Hammer Dominates

Allied Racing Stable’s Jack Hammer dominated the $100,000 Edward J. Johnston Memorial, beating eight older statebred males by 8 1/2 lengths on Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Never being menaced by the second-place finisher and 4-5 favorite Behemah Star, the 4-year-old gelding now has a freshman, sophomore, and older stake win on his resume. 

Trained by Kentucky-based Bret Calhoun, the son of Jimmy Creed out of Lipstick Junky received the services of his regular pilot Reylu Gutierrez. With the day’s races taken off the turf, Jack Hammer went 1 mile 70 yards in 1:41.67 over a main track labeled “muddy.” 

“That’s always the question: can they develop to the next level against older company?” Gutierrez said. “Bret (Calhoun) and his staff have done a tremendous job. Chester (Thomas, owner, from Madisonville, Ky.) and Bret gave him some time off, and he grew up. Credit to Bret, Janine, Mike and the crew. Jack Hammer has taken a step forward. Bret told me not to mess it up and I guess I didn’t mess it up.”

Calicoco was hustled hard to beat Jack Hammer to the lead out of the gates. Content to track in second, Jack Hammer left Calicoco alone as the front runner traveled through opening fractions of :23.76 and :47.41. After settling in sixth, Behemah Star began to run in the far turn but by then Jack Hammer had blitzed to the front and opened up an insurmountable lead. Wise Verdict ran steadily throughout to maintain third. Jack Hammer’s stablemate Who Took the Money, also owned by Allied Racing Stable, ran late for fourth.

“We were hoping it would be on the turf,” Chester Thomas of Allied Racing said. “We wanted to see how (Jack Hammer) would do on the turf; he’s bred for it. He’s been a real pleasure, very professional, a really cool horse. I want to give Bret and his team a lot of credit. They’ve done a beautiful job. Rey knows the horse well. It was ‘hammer time’ today.”

With an all-or-nothing lifetime record of 8-6-0-0, Jack Hammer added $60,000 winning the Eddie Johnston to bring his bankroll to $291,255. He now has three wins from four tries at the 2023 – 2024 meet.

“He had a little injury that made us give him some time off and he came back really, really well,” Calhoun said. “He’s one of those who went forward and he looks like he might be a better older horse. This horse does have a lot of breeding for the grass and we hope to have options where we can hit both spots.”

Jack Hammer cashed at $7.20, $3.40, and $2.60.