More Than Ready got his first graded stakes winner of 2021 on Saturday at Fair Grounds when Title Ready captured the $125,000 Louisiana S. (G3), also the first graded victory for the six-year-old Charles Fipke homebred.
Title Ready was getting some class relief after contesting the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and Clark S. (G1) in his prior two outings. Away from the gate in good order, he settled into fourth while Blackberry Wine led the field through a slow half-mile in :49.53. Blackberry Wine continued to lead into the stretch, but Title Ready was cutting into the margin and eventually forged past, winning by 1 1/4-lengths in 1:44.27 for the 1 1/16-miles on a fast track.
“He’s a beautiful More Than Ready colt that Mr. Fipke bred, and he shows up and runs hard all the time,” trainer Dallas Stewart said. “I know he’s been running against the best. These are some very nice horses that he ran with today, but he showed that he loves the Fair Grounds.”
Title Ready is out of Title Seeker, whom Fipke paid $1.7 million for at the 2006 Keeneland November sale.Unraced Title Seeker is also the dam of Grade 3 winner Seeking the Title and Grade 3-placed Perfect Title. Seeking the Title is the dam of Grade 1 winner Seeking the Soul, another Fipke homebred trained by Stewart.
Title Ready is More Than Ready’s 93rd lifetime graded stakes winner. More Than Ready bred 136 mares last year and will stand this year for $65,000 S&N.
