A Toast to Louisiana Cup

2025 Louisiana Cup Brings Triple Triumphs for Trainer Allen Landry and Jockey Jansen Melancon

Louisiana is the only state to host a state bred stakes day at each of its four racetracks. Louisiana Downs hosted its annual Louisiana Cup Day on Saturday, August 30th, with 6 stakes for accredited Louisiana Breds worth a of total $450,000 in purses. Wet weather kept the temperatures down to a balmy 86 degrees, but forced the turf races onto the dirt track.

Trainer Allen Landry saddled the winners of three of the six stakes, with He’s Just Lucky taking the $75,000 Sprint, Six String wiring the $75,000 Filly and Mare Sprint, and Two Good Old Guys dominating the $75,000 Juvenile. Jockey Jansen Melancon was also a three time stakes winner on the Saturday card, paired with trainer Landry in both the Sprint and Juvenile Stakes, as well as taking the Juvenile Fillies Stakes aboard Gangster Flash.

Louisiana Cup Sprint
$75,000 • 6 Furlongs • Accredited Louisiana Breds • 3YO & Up

He’s Just Lucky

Breaking Lucky-Anea
Breeder: 4M Ranch & Blue Star Racing
Owner: Baronne Farms LLC • Trainer: Allen Landry • Jockey: Jansen Melancon

He’s Just Lucky ($5.40) tracked fractions of 22.52 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.50 for the half-mile in the Sprint before going on to cover six furlongs in 1:09.55.

Jansen Melancon was aboard He’s Just Lucky, which was his first of three stakes wins for the jockey on the card Saturday.

He’s Just Lucky won by 4 1/2 lengths over El Dinero. The winner races for Baronne Farms.

He’s Just Lucky is by Breaking Lucky and won his third straight race and second consecutive stakes following the Louisiana Legends Sprint and an allowance, both at Evangeline Downs.

Louisiana Cup Distaff
$75,000 • 1 1/16 miles* • Accredited Louisiana Breds • 3YO & Up Fillies and Mares

Rising Inflation

Mitole-Any Given Trace
Breeder: J. Adcock & Hume Wornall
Owner: Rose Mark, Slam Dunk Racing and Dennis D. Bailey • Trainer: Jonathan Wong • Jockey: Isaac Castillo

Rising Inflation ($2.80) came back in the stretch for a half-length win over Norah G in the $75,000 Distaff. She has now won her last three starts by a combined margin of more than 30 lengths.

Highly Wicked, who has won five turf stakes in her last five starts, was scratched from the race that was moved from turf to dirt.

Rising Inflation sat off the pace set by Norah G, who took the field through an opening quarter in 24.97 seconds, a half-mile in 49.18 and six furlongs in 1:13.76. The winner went on to cover the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.38.

Isaac Castillo was aboard Rising Inflation, a daughter of Mitole trained by Jonathan Wong. She races for the partnership of Rose Mark, Slam Dunk Racing and Dennis Bailey. She was bred by the partnership of J. Adcock and Hume Wornall.

Louisiana Cup Filly and Mare Sprint
$75,000 • 6 Furlongs • Accredited Louisiana Breds • 3YO & Up Fillies and Mares

Six String

Star Guitar-Oh What Holiday
Breeder: World War IV Racing & Rebel Tide Racing LLC
Owner: World War IV Racing & Rebel Tide Racing LLC • Trainer: Allen Landry • Jockey: C.J. Hernandez

Six String ($3.40) set the pace and was never threatened for a for a 2 1/2-length wire to wire win over Magnolia Avenue in the Filly and Mare Sprint. The winner put up fractions of 22.69 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.58 for the half-mile before going on to cover six furlongs in 1:11.43, for trainer Allen Landry.

Colby Hernandez was aboard the winner for World War IV Racing and Rebel Tide Racing who also bred the multiple stakes winning filly. Six String is a daughter of Star Guitar.

Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies
$75,000 • 5 1/2 Furlongs • Accredited Louisiana Breds • 2YO Fillies

Gangster Flash

Instagrand-One Look
Breeder: Thomas B. Early
Owner: Alfred M. Romito• Trainer: Jason Faul• Jockey: Jansen Melancon

Gangster Flash ($7.20), with Jansen Melancon aboard, won her second consecutive stakes race in the $75,000 Juvenile Fillies, having previously won the filly division of the D.S. Shine Young Futurity after breaking her maiden in her first start. She put in a determined stretch bid to catch Fly Strong and go on to a 1 1/4-length win over that one. Gangster Flash covered 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.66.

The undefeated daughter of Instagrand races for Alfred Romito and is trained by Jason Faul. She was bred by Thomas B. Early.

Louisiana Cup Turf Classic
$75,000 • 1 1/16 Miles* • Accredited Louisiana Breds • 3YO & Up

Good and Stout

Coal Front-Ready Witted
Breeder: Adcock’s Red River Farm, LLC & Hume Wornall
Owner: Whispering Oaks Farm LLC
Trainer: Carrol Castille
Jockey: Marcelino Pedroza, Jr.

Good and Stout ($17.20) fought for a neck win over Allnight Moonlight in the $75,000 Classic. The winner covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.23.

The son of Coal Front took the Louisiana Legends Turf S. earlier this summer and now has 4 stakes victories to his credit.

Marcelino Pedroza Jr. was aboard for Whispering Oaks Farm and trainer Carrol Castille. The 4-year-old colt was bred by Adcock’s Red River Farm, LLC & Hume Wornall.

Louisiana Cup Juvenile
$75,000 • 5 1/2 Furlongs • Accredited Louisiana Breds • 2YO Colts and Geldings

Two Good Old Guys

Thousand Words-Those Lion Eyes
Breeder: Tom Curtis & Wayne Simpson
Owner: Allen Landry and Larry Romero
Trainer: Allen Landry
Jockey: Jansen Melancon

Two Good Old Guys ($33.20) broke his maiden decisively winning the Juvenile by 5 3/4 lengths over 4-5 favorite Mor Force. He covered 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.79.

Melancon was aboard Larry Romero, who co-owns the son of Thousand Words with trainer Allen Landry. He was bred by Tom Curtis & Wayne Simpson.

*Scheduled for the turf. Run on the main dirt track.