Free Like a Girl became the all-time leading Louisiana-bred earner on Friday night with her win in the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town.
The first-place check of $294,000 lifted Free Like a Girl's career earnings to $1,916,978. She is a 5-year-old mare by El Deal and was a $5,500 purchase at auction in 2020.
“There’s no words, really,” said Chasey Deville-Pomier, who co-owns and trains Free Like a Girl. “We’re just so proud of her. That’s all I can say, really.”
Free Like a Girl went into Friday’s race sitting third on the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association chart of leading accredited Louisiana-bred runners by lifetime earnings that is published on its website. She surpassed two inactive runners, leader Star Guitar ($1,749,862) and Happy Ticket ($1,688,838), after her win in the Misty Bennett.
Free Like a Girl tracked the pace in third in the seven-furlong race run around two turns, and was a three-quarter-length winner.
“It set up perfect,” Deville-Pomier said. “Looking at the [past performances] and everything, it set up like we had hoped it would set up. She showed up. It worked out great.”
It was the 16th career stakes win for Free Like a Girl, who overall boasts 18 wins from 41 starts. Many of those victories have come at home in Louisiana, but this year she ventured to Oaklawn and was third in the Apple Blossom won by Adare Manor. She also made a start at Churchill Downs and ran second to champion Idiomatic in the La Troienne. The latter race was a one of her most memorable performances, Deville-Pomier said.
“Just because of the ground she made up,” she said. “She came running, tried to run her down. Every race is so exciting, to watch her do her thing.”
Deville-Pomier said on Saturday that Free Like a Girl was traveling to Churchill because she is being pointed to the Grade 2, $400,000 Locust Grove. The 1 1/6-mile race for fillies and mares is Sept. 14.
Plans are for her to winter at her usual base of Delta Downs in Vinton, La.
Free Like a Girl was bred by Kim Renee Stover and Lisa Osborne. She is a daughter of the Munnings stallion El Deal and is out of the Flashy Bull mare Flashy Prize.
Free Like a Girl races for Gerald Bruno Jr., Jerry Caroom, and Deville-Pomier and her father, Carl Deville. Deville-Pomier, like her star student, was born in Louisiana.
The next active Louisiana-bred on the all-time earnings list is Touchuponastar, who ranks 11th with $922,900, according to the LTBA chart. He is the 2023 Louisiana-bred of the year, while Free Like a Girl held that title in 2022.
She’s since entered a new stratosphere.
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