Stall enjoying white-hot run of success in home state

Trainer Al Stall has won with 13 of his last 14 starters in his home state of Louisiana, and on Monday was attempting to extend the streak, which started June 20.

Stall had the maiden Belle Force in the fourth race at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City. His streak also includes winners at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas.

Stall has a division based at Louisiana Downs and had a training double there Saturday. Iona Guitar captured the fourth race, and Half a Sugar won the sixth. Half a Sugar started the streak last month, and on Saturday she pulled out a neck victory in a $5,000 conditioned claiming sprint.

“We were calling on the horse like it was a graded stakes,” Stall said Monday morning. “It’s fun. It’s exciting.”

Stall said he’s never experienced such a streak during his training career, which dates to 1991. He won with six straight starters in Louisiana from June 20 through June 23, with four of those wins coming June 23 via a double at Louisiana Downs and two stakes victories later that night at Evangeline. Stall then ran third with Amity in a June 25 start at Louisiana Downs before coming back to win with his next seven starters in the state heading into the Monday card at Louisiana Downs.

Stall has won four consecutive races at Evangeline during his streak, and overall has won with his last six starters at the track dating to June 8. He is 8 for 15 this meet at Evangeline and leads the standings at Louisiana Downs, where he had won 13 races from 27 starters through Sunday.

Stall said the streak “just kind of snuck up on us,” and that the manner it was unfolding at both tracks was brought to his attention by agent Anthony Martin.

“We had Churchill Downs going on, were worried about the Queen’s Plate, and were running at two different tracks in Louisiana,” Stall said.

Stall said that in keeping so busy he was simply concerned with the races at hand. He said he gives a great deal of credit to his Louisiana-based assistant Pam Fitzgerald.

“We support the Louisiana-bred program,” Stall said. “That’s why my main assistant is in Louisiana.”

Stall’s recent stakes wins at Evangeline both came in races for Louisiana-breds. Autumn Warrior was a 6 3/4-length winner of the $50,000 Lafayette on June 23 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 81. The start came one race after he won his debut by 14 1/2 lengths May 5 at Louisiana Downs.

Autumn Warrior, who races for breeder Robert J. Guidry of Autumn Hill Farms, is now being pointed to the $60,000 Prelude on Aug. 4 at Louisiana Downs. It will be the first start at two turns for the horse, who won over seven-eighths at Evangeline.

“He’s by Orb, who won the Kentucky Derby, and he’s got a big, long stride,” Stall said.

Stall plans to have at least two other stakes starters on the Aug. 4 card at Louisiana Downs. Iona Guitar, a debut winner over Louisiana-breds, is targeting the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies. The 74 Beyer Figure that she earned ranks among the top 10 numbers put up by a 2-year-old filly this year in North America. Wild About Star, a first-level allowance winner May 19 at Evangeline, will stretch out to two turns for the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Distaff. Both fillies are by former Stall trainee Star Guitar, and both race for Brittlyn Stable.

Seaside Amour, winner of the $50,000 Acadiana on June 23 at Evangeline, will be freshened for a fall campaign that could include stakes starts at Delta Downs and Fair Grounds. The three-time winner races for breeder Stewart Madison.

Stall is a 56-year-old native of New Orleans who won his first race as a trainer at Arlington Park. He had a career record of 1,581 wins from 7,878 starters through Sunday, according to Daily Racing Form records. The horses he has trained have earned more than $57 million, chief among them Blame, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2010.

Stall’s next Louisiana starter, Divine Bean, is set for the fifth race Saturday at Louisiana Downs.

No hurry with Big Changes

Big Changes has returned to Churchill Downs after winning the $50,000 John Henry Stakes on Saturday night at Evangeline Downs. Trainer Brad Cox said he will let him recover from the race before deciding where to run him next.

“Anytime you ship to Louisiana and back north, it takes a little bit out of them,” Cox said.

Big Changes, who races for Steve Landers of Arkansas, has won both of his starts this year. He opened his 6-year-old season with an optional $50,000 claiming turf route score June 19 at Indiana Grand.

“He’s been training well, has showed up nice for us so far this year,” said Cox.

Cox’s other recent Evangeline stakes starter, Dazzling Gem, breezed Saturday at Churchill, going five-eighths in 1:01.80. Dazzling Gem finished second in the $100,000 Evangeline Mile on June 23.

“It was his first work since the Evangeline Mile,” Cox said. “He worked well. We’ll work him a few more times and pick something out.”

Dazzling Gem also races for Landers.