5/19/17..DELTA DOWNS..VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted the $322,285 Louisiana Lassie Futurity (RG2) on Friday night and it turned into a family affair as trainer Jose Sanchez and son Eddie Sanchez teamed up to win the race with Rogelio Marquez, Jr.’s Dashnunder Afullmoon. Jose Sanchez also saddled the second-place finisher Ttt Kas, who was ridden by jockey J. R. Ramirez.
Dashnunder Afullmoon broke from post position four in a full field of 10 but had to rally from behind in the showdown for 2-year-old Louisiana-bred fillies. As the field approached the final 100 yards of the race, Sanchez called on his mount and she responded with a flurry of speed that put her in front of early leader Tee Magica and eventually a head in front of her stablemate Ttt Kas on the finish line. Shez Dead Serious rallied late to finish within a neck of the runner-up for third.
Dashnunder Afullmoon covered the 330 yards of the Lassie in a time of 16.644 seconds. That time earned her a speed index of 97. The race was contested over a fast track with a crosswind of approximately 10 miles per hour.
The win by Dashnunder Afullmoon was even more impressive when you consider that she qualified for the race after winning a shake to get into the final. Following her winning trial heat on April 28 she was tied with the Kenneth L. Roberts, Sr. trainee Fastdashing Lassie for the 10th and final qualifying spot before winning a shake in the Delta Downs racing office conducted by the stewards.
Dashnunder Afullmoon is now two-for-two in her brief career. She earned $161,142 for effort in the Lassie and now boasts a career bankroll of $167,142.
Bred in Louisiana by D & S Racing LLC, Dashnunder Afullmoon is a filly by Heza Fast Dash, out of the Dash Ta Fame mare Full Moon Dasher. She was purchased by her connections for $44,500 at the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association Yearling Sale in August of last year.
Overlooked by the wagering public and sent to the post at odds of 28-1, Dashnunder Afullmoon returned $59.40 to win, $16.80 to place and $10.20 to show. Ttt Kas, who was a co-fastest qualifier for the race, paid $4.40 to place and $3.40 to show. Shez Dead Serious was worth $9 to show.
Delta Downs will close out its fifth week of racing on Saturday night with another 10-race program that will feature the $266,140 Louisiana Laddie Futurity (RG2) for colts and geldings as well as the $50,000 Vinton Stakes for older horses. The exciting card is scheduled to get underway at 6:15 pm CT.
For more information about the current season visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com or on the Facebook page, ‘Delta Downs Racing’. The track’s Twitter handle is @deltaracing.
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.
