Lt Col JE Leonard, named after Lieutenant Colonel Jaimie Leonard who was the first woman to perish in combat during the Afghanistan war, won her racing debut Thursday, Dec. 12 at Pompano Park. The Riggins three-year-old filly is owned by Steven Sitkoff of Florida and Alice Allen, who stables at the Shelby County Fairgrounds.
Lt Col JE Leonard is shown prior to beginning her racing career. The Riggins filly won her debut at Pompano Park Thursday, Dec. 12. Photo by Alice Allen
Allen owns the sire, Riggins, and relocated to Indiana a few years ago. His first Indiana crop was on the track this year and fared very well, producing such stars as Foxy Rigger, ER Harper Rose and Fancy Riggin in the two-year-old ranks. Lt Col JE Leonard is New York bred and won her first race by a nose in 1:55.1 with David Ingraham driving for trainer Richard Silverman. The filly was parked every step of the mile from the second tier starting position. She came from last to first and wore down her opponents to capture the win right at the finish line.
Lt Col JE Leonard was a surprise to the betting public, paying $23.80 to win. She was bred by Sitkoff.
Earlier on the card, Indiana sired ER Kevin was a gate to wire winner in 1:57.1 in a conditioned trot. The former Don Eash bred and raised trainee is now owned by George Coblentz, who trains. Mike Simons drove the Elegant Man gelding, who is now seven and has accumulated more than $177,000 in earnings with a career best time of 1:56.2 taken as a four-year-old.