Trains A Leavin Surges Late To Capture $50,000 LQHBA Sale Juvenile Stakes

Trains A Leavin picked an opportune time to earn his first career victory Saturday night, surging late to defeat Open Me An Rc by a head in the $50,000 LQHBA Sale Juvenile Stakes at Delta Downs.

The 350-yard event was restricted to accredited Louisiana-bred 2-year-old colts and geldings who competed in the LQHBA Sale Futurity trials but did not qualify for the final.

With Adrian X. Morales aboard, Trains A Leavin rallied from fourth early and got up in the final strides, completing the 350 yards in :17.782 for a 91 speed index over a fast racing surface.

The victory was worth $30,000 and boosted Trains A Leavin's career record to seven starts with one win, one second and one third and earnings of $37,190.

Dustin Rhodes trains the black gelding for owner Roger Moore. Bred in Louisiana by Grant Farms LLC, Trains A Leavin is by world champion sire Freighttrain B from the Heza Fast Dash mare Marcysfastdash.

Trains A Leavin was a $39,000 purchase at the 2025 LQHBA Yearling Sale.

Open Me An Rc battled gamely and missed by only a head to finish second, earning $10,000 for owner GIA Equine Center, LLC. Kenneth L. Roberts Sr. trains the gelding, who was ridden by Pedro Chavarria Espinosa.

Bred by Jo Baya Foreman, Open Me An Rc is a son of multipole stakes sire Rc Me Leaving You from Eight Below 123, by Mr Eye Opener. He was purchased for $37,000 at the 2025 LQHBA Yearling Sale. Saturday's runner-up effort increased his career record to six starts, two seconds and one third with earnings of $17,560.

Another head back in third was race favorite Sharpest Image, who finished three-quarters of a length ahead of the fourth-place runner and earned $5,500. Angel A. Fierro rode the colt for trainer Ramiro Aboytes-Suarez and owner Vicente Arreola.

Bred by Robicheaux Ranch Inc., Sharpest Image is by multiple stakes sire Gold Heart Eagle V from the Game Patriot mare Non Stop Patriot. A $16,000 graduate of the 2025 LQHBA Yearling Sale, he has now earned $87,157 from six starts, with one win, one second, and four thirds. His previous stakes placings include the Mardi Gras Futurity (RG2) and Louisiana-Bred Laddie Futurity (RG2).

Completing the field behind the top three were Bmstrainiscoming, First Down Freight, and Jl See Ya Man. Ajs Black Label Buzz, Awesome Eagle V, Epyphany, Hey Hay What Ya Say, Mp Coco Pilot, and Purple N Gold Blood were scratched.

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