Rdd Empire Build, ridden by Artuno Alvarez, wins the $13,440 Louisiana Downs Feature Allowance on Saturday afternoon.

© Ann Switalski Photography

BOSSIER CITY, LA–FEBRUARY 4, 2023–Rdd Empire Builder visits the winner’s circle for the third consecutive time Saturday night after scoring a victory in the $13,440 Louisiana Downs Feature Allowance.

Ridden by Arturo Alvarez, Rdd Empire Builder lead the 400-yard Feature Allowance from gate-to-wire for a length victory over Bye Corona. The post-time favorite clocked a 95 speed index in :19.973 seconds.

The son of Jess Louisiana Blue was favored to win due to a Grade 2 victory in the Louisiana Champions Day Classic Stakes he just came off of in December. Conditioned by Riley Aguilar, Rdd Empire Builder has seven lifetime wins with $133,220 in the bank.

Breeder Richard Dale Domingue of Louisiana sold Rdd Empire Builder for $83,000 in the 2018 LQHBA Yearling Sale. Owned by R C Stables, LLC, the six-year-old gelding is out of Jacquie O by Corona Cartel.

Runner-up Bye Corona, piloted by Raul Ramirez, Jr., was no match for Rdd Empire Builder but placed a clear second 1 3/4-lengths ahead of Jess Perfect Moon and jock Rolando Cabrera. Trainer Fernando Valdez saddled the four-year-old gelding for owner Alexander Carreon Mendez. 

The son of Open Me A Corona placed second in the Louisiana Champions Day Derby (G3) in December and has lifetime earnings of $60,360. Bred by Bobby Barnett of Louisiana, Bye Corona is out of the Dashin Bye mare Corona Dashin Bye.

Coming in third was Jess Perfect Moon who was trained by Angel Almaguer and owned by Cheryl and Carey Hauseman, DVM. The Texas-bred has three career wins, placed third in the 2022 TQHA 550 Stakes (G3) and earnings of $51,014.

Bred by Ron Gardner, Jess Perfect Moon is sired by JA Jess Perfect and out of Dash N To The Moon by Reckless Dash.

JM Friday, under Everardo Rodriguez, placed fourth and One Sweet Merlot, ridden by Juan Garcia Jr, placed fifth.