Chip Honcho, Hit Parade star at Fair Grounds

The long Fair Grounds stretch ultimately worked in favor of Chip Honcho in the $100,000 Gun Runner S., run under the lights early Saturday night at the New Orleans track.

While it seemed long-time leader Crown the Buckeye would ultimately last the entire 1 1/16-mile journey, the Ohio-bred began to shorten stride in the final sixteenth. His closest pursuer, Chip Honcho, inherited the lead and won on four-horse scramble by three parts of a length under Paco Lopez.

Finishing second was 13-10 favorite Liberty National, who had a head on Crown the Buckeye. It was a neck farther back to Quality Mischief, who was followed by Very Connected. Mister Punch was eased in the field of six two-year-olds.

Chip Honcho, who was making his third career start for owner Leland Ackerley Racing and trainer Steve Asmussen, won in a time of 1:44.76 and paid $9.80.

Second and first in two maiden tries at Kentucky during the fall, Chip Honcho earned 10 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby (G1) next May. Liberty National earned five points, Crown the Buckeye three points, Quality Mischief two points, and Very Connected one point. The latter now has a total of six points.

Chip Honcho is a son of Connect and was produced by stakes winner Miss My Rose, by Magician.

Hit Parade, the 2-1 favorite in the $100,000 Untapable S. for two-year-old fillies, edged Luv Your Neighbor in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) prep, though the runner-up's chances might have been hurt when jockey Axel Concepcion lost an iron during the stretch run.

The winning margin was only a head for Hit Parade, who covered one mile and 70 yards in 1:42.97. Luv Your Neighbor had 4 1/2 lengths on pacesetter Pashmina, who was followed by Have Faith, Actis, Miss Call, and Funny Bunny.

Hit Parade, a homebred racing for Gary and Mary West, paid $6.60. She is trained by Brad Cox and has now won three of four starts.

Hit Parade secured 10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks, while Luv Your Neighbor earned five. Pashmina now has three points, Have Faith two points, and Actis one point.

Hit Parade is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Street Sense and Wedding Band, by Candy Ride.

Earlier in the card, Idratherbeblessed turned in a second surprise win of the year at Fair Grounds with a wire-to-wire, three-parts-of-a-length decision in the $100,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial under Marcelino Pedroza.

The 17-1 upset by Idratherbeblessed came nine months after he pulled off an 86-1 stunner in the Muniz Memorial (G2).

Winning for the sixth time in 31 starts, Idratherbeblessed paid $37.20 after covering 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in $37.20. Finishing second was 17-10 favorite Kupuna, who finished a half-length ahead of Sand Pipes.

Idratherbeblessed is a Kentucky-bred son of Unified who races for JD Thoroughbreds and Wayne Scherr. He is trained by Chris Hartman.

Not This Boy recorded a similar victory in the $97,000 Tenacious S. after turning back 3-2 favorite Komorebino Omoide in upper stretch.

Under Jose Ortiz, Not This Boy scored over Sir Greylind, with 24-1 shot Stowaway a head behind in third and the favorite fifth in the field of six.

A homebred racing for Zimmer Ridge Ranch and trained by Doug Cowans, Not This Boy finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.69 and paid $5.60.

The Tenacious was the fourth win in nine starts for Not This Boy, who had narrowly lost in two prior stakes tries. he finished second by a nose in the 2024 Ellis Park Derby and second by a head to Hit Show in the West Virginia Governor's on Aug. 3.