FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Grant LaGrange
Racing Media Relations Coordinator
HOTSHOT ANNA MAKES IT FIVE IN A ROW IN RICHARD SCHERER MEMORIAL STAKES
New Orleans (November 30, 2019) – A field of ten fillies and mares were sent to post on Saturday at Fair Grounds Racecourse for the Richard Scherer Memorial Stakes, the feature on the 10 race card in New Orleans.
Hotshot Anna was bet down to the 8-5 post time favorite, and the 5-year-old daughter of Trappe Shot did not disappoint, running down longtime leader Play On late in the stretch to take the 2019 edition of the Richard Scherer Memorial stakes going five and one half furlongs on the Fair Grounds turf course.
The Hugh Robertson owned and trained Hotshot Anna broke well with jockey Marcelino Pedroza, who opted to sit off the early pace as early leader Play On went the first quarter mile in: 22.27 seconds. At the top of the stretch, Pedroza started asking Hotshot Anna and got his response as the field straightened for home. Hotshot Anna leveled off and ran down the leaders, catching Play On right on the wire in a final time of: 57.75 seconds.
“She wasn’t coming into me early,” explained winning rider Marcelino Pedroza after the win. “She didn’t feel like the same horse in the beginning of the race, but when she turned for home and I asked to go, I felt her underneath me as usual. In the middle of the stretch I knew we were going to catch them, when she gets going she’s such a powerful horse.”
“She’s not as good on the turf as she is on the poly, but I’m really happy with the way she ran today,” trainer Hugh Roberston explained. “As far as next out, I will probably keep her in these sprint races and try to keep it going.”
Hotshot Anna inches closer to the $1,000,000 career purse earnings mark, as she takes home majority share of the $75,000 purse. She now becomes a 12 time winner from her 24 career starts. This is also her first career victory at Fair Grounds, having tried four other times and coming up short.
Runner up Play On with jockey Shaun Bridgmohan ran a winning race, just came up a bit short,
“She tried her heart out,” said rider Shaun Bridgmohan. Unfortunately we came up a little short today, but like always she tried and I thought she ran a really hard race.”
Hotshot Anna paid $5.20 to win, $3.40 to place, and $3.00 to show. Runner up Play On paid $6.80 to place and $5.00 to show. Third place finisher May Lily paid $4.80 to show.
About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, LA, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global
Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 13 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 148th Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 107 th running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 28, 2019 through March 29, 2020. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.
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