LA Stakes (Grade 3)- $125.000 Purse
FG- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
January 16, 2021

A deep field in the LA Stakes of accomplished veterans would mean that the race would potentially be a lot more competitive than one might expect from a $125.000 purse. At the end of the race, they would leave an impression as two of the most experienced vets finished in the top two spots. Finishing in front of them all would Champion In Action, for Night Rider Stables. This was a horse that was talked about a lot more during 2019, and early in 2020, and on Saturday he provided a reminder that he is still very much in action. He competed in several Grade 1’s last year, including tries on the turf, but did not win anything other than a $60.000 stake late in the year. This year may be better, and congratulations to Night Rider Stables on the win, which is their second in the LA Stakes but first time they did not have to share the winners purse. The late Dogma Moon won in 2016, in a dead heat. D Davis, the winning jockey, is now a first time winner. The race went in a time of 1:41.34, the second fastest in its history. Let’s take a look!

(¼ Mile- :23.08)- From the outside, Silent Commander breaks the quickest out of the gate for trainer Serenity Stables, and he is joined at the front by Wood Duck Stables’ Bellamango, who is a half length behind him, and closer to the rail. Between them, the Angelos Stable trained Jolly Rook is within a length. Stalking the three front runners is Shanghai, one of the three Nakamura Stables runners in the race. Champion In Action, our eventual winner from Night Rider Stables, is in a comfortable spot close to the rail, sitting in fifth place, just off the lead by about three lengths. There is some room on his inside for John Henry’s Range Of The Sun, and both County Medical (Crocker Ggs) and Boardwalk (Fractious) are nearby. A little further back, Nb Forrest (Greeko Holdem) and Crack Dab (Gdp Inc) run together, and it’s another length or so to the trailing Nakamura stablemates, Hang Around and Eclipse My Knowledge.

(½ Mile- :46.21)- Early in the backstretch portion, Bellamango would take the lead from Silent Commander, but would not pull away. Silent Commander would hang with him in the three wide position, with Jolly Rook still being content to run between them, but about half a length behind them. Further back, Range Of The Sun pushed forward early in the backstretch too, to claim fourth and make sure that no one would take the rail from him. That move did not bother Champion In Action, who would hold his ground and continue to sit just off the lead and wait for his time to strike. Shanghai and Boardwalk would run in the middle of the field, while County Meidcal lost a spot to Nb Forrest. Still no move to the front from the others in the field just yet.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Things get tighter as we move into the top of the stretch with Jolly Rook taking the top spot, splitting both Bellamango and Silent Commander as the original top two looked to be a little vulnerable now to the moves of those behind them. Champion In Action made the best move of them all, swinging out to a four wide position since Range Of The Sun held the rail, and he would have to be outside of Silent Commander in order to not run into him. D Davis handled this well, and had Champion In Action up to the second spot and within a half length of Jolly Rook. Range Of The Sun still had the same distance to those in front of him, but needed to start cutting into it now. Further back, Crack Dab moved to the outside and was showing interest, but also grabbing one’s attention was Eclipse My Knowledge. He had been trailing the field, but it was now go time, swinging to the far outside and ready to pick up positions.

(Finish- 1:41.34)- Soon into the stretch, Champion In Action took over the top spot, and opened up a lead of about a length and a half, hoping he would hold on. The other front runners were not able to run with him, although Jolly Rook had some fight in him. The concern was further back, and the push of Eclipse My Knowledge. This meant that Champion In Action could not let up at all, and he would not, picking up the win by a neck, hanging on over fellow veteran Eclipse My Knowledge. Crack Dab came on well to be third, just catching Jolly Rook for that spot. Shanghai takes fifth, ahead of Range Of The Sun and County Medican, who are scored as being in a dead heat. Round it out, it’s Hang Around, Silent Commander, Boardwalk, Bellamango, and Nb Forrest.

About The Winner- Champion In Action, trained by Night Rider Stables, and ridden to victory by D Davis, is a six year old gelding by Natural Drummer, and is out of Angies Taco Truck. He was bred in Florida by Night Rider Stables, the only trainer for which he has ever known. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his eighth in 35 starts, his 6th stake win, and third graded win. His career earnings are now $1,121.000. 

Track: Fast
Time: :23   :46¹  1:09⁴  1:41¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 12 Paid 344.60
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 12 – 11 Paid 1,206.30

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES