DeVaux Double Trainer Cherie DeVaux took over the $250,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3), finishing one-two with 5-2 favourite Golden Tempo and 4-1 second choice Mesquite. The multiple graded stakes winning conditioner enjoyed a standout Saturday at Fair Grounds courtesy of her budding sophomore duo. Golden Tempo entered the 1 1/16-mile dirt dash off a successful professional debut on December 20 and remained perfect through two starts after edging his stablemate by three-quarters-of-a-length. Mesquite parlayed a maiden-breaking win last time out (November 7) into a strong runner-up effort in his stakes debut. Golden Tempo paid $7.40 for the win, while a $2 5-7 DeVaux exacta paid $26.60. Rise to the Occasion Accelerize showed up in clutch time to take the $175,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Fair Grounds. Operating out of post four, the 4-year-old son of Omaha Beach–Motion Emotion wasted no time rocketing to the front of the eight-horse pack. Working with Eclipse Award winning rider Flavien Prat, Accelerize maintained his position atop the field at the three-quarters mark but lost it down the stretch with pressure from 4-5 favourite Just a Touch. The change in positioning proved brief, however, as Accelerize vaulted past his rival and held firm to score by a neck. Up to 3-0-1 ($154,480) for owners Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable, Accelerize, at 8-1, paid $19. Long Way to Go Early delays couldn’t prevent 13-1 underdog Start the Ride from reaching the wire first in Saturday’s $175,500 California Chrome Cal Cup Derby at Santa Anita. Debuting at the stakes level after a fourth in his maiden start on November 16, the sophomore Upstart colt broke slowly to begin the 1 1/16-mile contest for California bred or sired 3-year-olds. Undeterred, Start the Ride gradually worked his way into striking position at the turn for home and didn’t miss, landing 1 ¾-lengths clear of 2-1 choice Sammy Davis. Trained by Dan Blacker for breeder/owner Harris Farms, Start the Ride paid $29.20. Still Soaring Remaining perfect through three starts wasn’t a breeze but Taken by the Wind (4-1) held on just long enough to capture Saturday’s $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds. Eager to add a second stakes badge to her collection following a 5 ¼-length Pocahontas (G3) victory on September 13, the 3-year-old Rock Your World filly eagerly took command and set a relaxed pace. Still leading into the stretch, Taken by the Wind was met with immense bookend pressure from Luv Your Neighbor (9-1) and 1-2 choice Atropa. Ultimately, the late challenge was to avail, as Taken by the Wind and rider Brian Hernandez Jr. held clear by a neck. Now over $270,000 in prizes for owners Magdalena Racing, Terry Bradshaw (NFL Hall of Famer), Graham Leveston, and Raasi Stable, Taken by the Wind paid $10.80. Easy Street Street Beast, after a promising rookie season, got off on the right foot to begin 2026 with a gate-to-wire triumph in the $125,000 Leonatus Stakes, Saturday at Turfway Park. Taking to the track for the first time since a fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), Street Beast looked comfortable in his return to racing, exhibiting great composure and confidence throughout the one-mile Leonatus. The second stakes win (Global Tote Juvenile Mile) of the Street Sense–Flower Party (IRE) bay’s career elevated his growing scorecard to 3-1-0 with $885,784 in prizes across five starts. At 5-2 Saturday, Street Beast paid $7.02. Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine Share This:Share
