Car dealer’s filly a steal at 9-1 odds

HOT SPRINGS — High-profile Little Rock car dealer Steve Landers would probably make a good horse trader, too.

It was easy for him to explain why he was not at all surprised to see Illusion Artist, at nearly 10-1, ride the rail to victory in the $150,000 Carousel Stakes, a 6-furlong race for fillies and mares 4 years old and up.

Illusion Artist, owned by Landers and trained by Brad Cox, was ridden by Richard Eramia to a 1½-length victory over second-place Chanteline in 1:09.41. Athena, the 2-1 favorite, finished third, 2½ lengths behind Chanteline and a half length ahead of fourth-place Pleasant Tales.

Landers stood near the grandstand moments after the race and explained a factor overlooked by most in Illusion Artist’s third-place finish in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint at Fair Grounds Race Course on Dec. 10, 2016.

“She tore a shoe off in a stakes race down in Louisiana,” Landers said. “She ran half the race with the shoe twisted, about to fall off, and she finished third. She’s always done a very good job.”

Landers said the only reason Illusion Artist started the Carousel at such long odds was that gamblers failed to consider the quality of the field in his filly’s last race, a second-place finish to Big World in the $100,000 Louisiana Premier Night Distaff at Delta Downs on Feb. 11.

“This horse has won in Indiana, at Churchill, at Keeneland, and now she’s run a 1:09,” Landers said.

A passerby nodded his head in deference to Lander’s comment.

“She won’t be 9-1 the next time she runs,” he said.

Illusion Artist followed a

blistering pace set by Chanteline, who led through the first quarter-mile in 21.67. Chanteline remained in the lead through the half in 44.69 with Illusion Artist 3½ lengths back but hugging the rail in fifth.

“She just relaxed the whole race,” Eramia said. “She did whatever I wanted. She’s a classic filly. She won the race. I didn’t do anything wrong, but she won the race.”

Cox did not hesitate to credit Eramia.

“The jock did a great job of letting her break and settle into stride,” he said. “Obviously, they were rolling up front. He saved ground, and she ran down a nice filly.”