Son of Candy Ride goes from last to first in the slop at Fair Grounds.
Hit Show opened his 2025 campaign with a flair, rallying to a dramatic victory in the $173,250 Louisiana Stakes (G3) Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Although the sloppy New Orleans oval was largely playing to speed, the bettors had faith in the consistent Hit Show, a winner in eight of his 16 starts for trainer Brad Cox. During the last year, Cox has taken a safer route with the 5-year-old son of Candy Ride and kept the gray and/or roan out of grade 1 competition since his run at the 2023 Triple Crown trail as a 3-year-old. The strategy paid off handsomely for Hit Show, who rolled to three straight graded stakes scores in 2024.
"I always thought he was a horse with top talent," Cox said. "He ran very well in the Derby and then ran another good race in the Belmont. He can run with the top, but you have to win a grade 1 and hopefully, he'll get that opportunity this year."
Hit Show may get his chance after notching the fifth graded stakes win of his career Saturday.
Tucked into a ground-saving trip along the rail, regular rider Florent Geroux and Hit Show trailed the field of nine older males as Track Phantom pressed the issue early in the 1 1/16-mile contest. Following a first quarter in :24.23 and a half-mile in :48.66, Geroux had Hit Show on the move as the duo began picking off horses one by one.
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Komorebino Omoide , running in second early, inherited the lead from a fading Track Phantom at the top of the stretch and proved a tough customer on the front end, nearly pulling off the upset until Hit Show swept by the 14-1 shot in the final yards.
Hit Show ($4.60), sent to post as the 6-5 favorite, splashed to the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front in a final time of 1:44.91.
"He's always honest when he races," Geroux said of Hit Show. The pair have won five of their last six races together. "He can run on any track; sloppy, wet, slow, deep, tight, he doesn't care. He's just a horse that likes to do his job."
Japanese-bred Komorebino Omoide, a stakes winner at nearby Delta Downs two starts back, held on for second by a head over former California-based runner Skinner in third. An impressive winner of the Native Diver Stakes (G3) in December, Skinner was making his first start since transferring to Cherie DeVaux's barn.
Wathnan Racing, owned by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, had purchased Hit Show privately from his breeders Gary and Mary West last summer. The Wests campaigned Hit Show's dam, the grade 2-winning Tapit mare Actress .
Video: Louisiana S. Presented by Relyne GI By Hagyard (G3)