Latest news with #Lafayette
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
George Weaver Eyes Woody Stephens For Promising Lafayette Winner Colloquial
Harrell Ventures and Starlight Racing's promising stakes winner Colloquial worked five furlongs in 1:03.25 on Thursday over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma dirt training track in preparation for the $500,000 Woody Stephens (G1) on June 7 at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Trained by George Weaver, the son of his dual Grade 1 winner Vekoma was last seen winning the seven-furlong Lafayette (L) on April 7 at Keeneland. There, he showed a new dimension when setting the pace after two solid efforts from off-the-pace, including an eye-catching local seven-length graduation sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at second asking that garnered a 106 Beyer Speed Figure. Advertisement The 2 1/4-length Lafayette saw him earn an 88 Beyer, the same number he earned on debut last June when a nose second to subsequent graded stakes winner Mentee in a track record-setting performance. 'We've been happy with him,' Weaver said. 'We've been waiting for this race for a long time, and now we're getting close.' Weaver said the chestnut's versatility is the mark of a top-level horse. 'Good horses are [versatile], and they can adjust to situations,' Weaver said. 'He's talented, so luckily he's good enough to have that versatility. I don't think he's tied to any one way of running. I'm sure this will be a competitive race, but I wouldn't trade places with anybody.' Advertisement Colloquial is one of several candidates for Weaver at this year's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. The veteran conditioner also has Dorth Vader, Sacred Wish, and Soontobeking nominated to races during the five-day Festival. John Ropes' Grade 2 winner Dorth Vader was a troubled fourth last out in the La Troienne (G1) on May 2 at Churchill Downs, enduring a bumpy trip into the first turn while running in third position under John Velazquez. She went on to finish just 1 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Raging Sea with just a head and three-quarter-lengths separating the minor awards between Taxed, Randomized and Dorth Vader. Weaver said Dorth Vader is likely being pointed to the $500,000 Ogden Phipps (G1) on June 6, which offers a 'Win and You're In' berth into the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) in November at Del Mar. 'She had horse and was running the whole way, and it was pretty tight in the first turn,' Weaver said. 'She was on the rail and [Randomized] stopped her progress. We're just hoping for a good, clean trip [in the Phipps].' Advertisement Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Steve Adkisson, Christopher Dunn and Anthony Spinazzola's Grade 1 winner Sacred Wish was a last-out seventh – defeated just 2 1/2-lengths – in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on May 3 at Churchill Downs. The 5-year-old Not This Time mare has been a model of consistency, currently holding a 14-for-20 in-the-money record that includes a Grade 1 triumph in last year's Matriarch at Del Mar, and over $1.1 million in earnings. Weaver said the dark bay, who worked a half-mile in 51.25 seconds yesterday over the Oklahoma dirt, has been nominated to the Grade 1, $500,000 Just a Game on June 5 at the Festival, but he is unsure if that will be her next start. 'We'll see how her next work goes,' Weaver said. 'We're kind of up in the air about her next start.' Advertisement Our Blue Streaks Stable and SGV Thoroughbreds' consistent New York homebred Soontobeking is targeting the $200,000 Mike Lee for state-bred sophomores on the June 4 Opening Day of the Festival. Co-owned by Weaver, the son of King for a Day has put together a respectable 12-3-3-4 record with $363,428 in earnings, led by a stakes triumph in the state-bred Gander on March 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack. 'We're looking forward to seeing him again,' Weaver said of the colt whose last effort was a runner-up finish in the NYSSS Times Square on April 13 at Aqueduct. 'You appreciate the horses that always show up, and he does. He just overcomes with try.' Beyond the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, Weaver is eyeing a return next month to Royal Ascot, where he won the Group 2 Queen Mary in 2023 with Crimson Advocate. This year, Weaver is hopeful he'll be represented by two juveniles for owner Dew Sweepers in stakes winner Sandal's Song and maiden-winning New York-bred Tough Critic. Advertisement 'It's a hard thing to get done,' Weaver said of winning at the prestigious meeting. 'It's hard to win over there, even when you have the right horse – they run big fields, and you have to ship a long ways. It makes it exciting to do it, and hopefully everything goes smoothly and they run their race.' Sandal's Song looks to follow the path of Crimson Advocate after a stylish debut graduation in the five-furlong Royal Palm Juvenile by 1 1/2 lengths with a stalk-and-pounce trip engineered by Luca Panici. The Mendelssohn chestnut, who was a $75,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, overcame a hop at the start to sit off the pace down the backstretch and responded kindly into the lane to draw off to the victory in a final time of 56.30 seconds. Weaver said Sandal's Song is likely pointing towards the Norfolk (G2) for juveniles sprinting five furlongs on June 19. 'They've only had that race [the Royal Palm Juvenile] for the last couple of years, and we've been fortunate enough to get horses that have a chance to compete in it,' Weaver said of the race that awarded Sandal's Song a $25,000 equine travel stipend for Royal Ascot. Advertisement The New York-bred Tough Critic was also impressive in his debut, taking a 5 1/2-furlong maiden on April 24 at Keeneland by 1 1/4 lengths with a deep-closing trip under Eclipse Award-winning rider Flavien Prat. The $350,000 Keeneland April Horses of Racing Age Sale purchase is by Caravaggio and is out of is out of the Invincible Spirit mare Thatchit, a half-sister to 2009 Norfolk winner Radiohead. Weaver said Tough Critic is being considered for the six-furlong Coventry (G2) on June 17 or the five-furlong Windsor Castle (L) on June 18.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Memorial Day services held at Moncus Park in Lafayette
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)- In Moncus Park, Memorial Day services were held to honor the nation's fallen veterans, followed by a special run dedicated to the heroes who have their lives. Veterans, families, and many elected officials, like Governor Jeff Landry, gathered for a morning of remembrance and community connection, as everyone honored the fallen heroes from all five branches of the United States military. 'Today we remember the courage and the sacrifice of all those who serve and continue to serve, because if not for those brave individuals, we would not have an opportunity to enjoy today,' said Landry. Gail Landry and Bonnie Oswalt, attendees at the event, say they both have family members currently serving. Oswalt says having loved ones in the military brings a deep sense of pride and honor. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'It's a pride that it's hard to describe doing, we try to stay in touch with one another with those that are serving and those who have served, so it's just an honor,' said Oswalt. In addition, attendees participated in a Memorial Day run for fallen heroes. Levy Kastner and Andrew Ward with the Acadiana Veterans Alliance say they served 20 years ago in Iraq. When asked what America means to them, they say there is no place like it. 'There's nothing like America, the freedom of speech is so important and it's so important that people serve to give back to that, that nobody else has freedom of speech like we do, it's important to keep after that,' said Kastner. Memorial Day services held at Moncus Park in Lafayette IMS opens ticket renewal for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Teen confesses to fatal shooting of LYFT driver in Panama City Beach Florida man survives alligator attack before being fatally shot by deputies Orleans Parish jail escapees recaptured in Baton Rouge and Texas Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Veterans reflect at Greenlawn Cemetery Memorial Day tribute
LAFAYETTE, La. () — The 61st Greenlawn Cemetery Memorial Day tribute was held at in Lafayette. Attendees were captivated by the message from Terry Fitzgerald, a Vietnam Veteran of the United States Army. Keynote speaker Fitzgerald recalls when he was just 23-years-old in Vietnam. He says there were younger soldiers. 'Most of them were 18 and 19-years-old. They did not know they could be killed. They had no idea about their mortality, and we lost a lot of them,' Fitzgerald said. 'It doesn't matter if you're for the war or against the war. You are out there with your buddies, and you want to make sure they make it.' Fitzgerald wants everyone to realize veterans are struggling and suffering and need support. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'A place where someone will listen to them and help them. Guys, PTSD is a real deal,' Fitzgerald noted. Eugene Walters of Walters Funeral Home is a Vietnam veteran. Walter's many decorations include three purple hearts, the silver star and the bronze star medals. 'There were situations that I will never forget. But again, I have to say there were wonderful situations. I can remember swimming in the Gulf of Tonkin with the guys. You know, I remember good times. You blackout perhaps a lot of the bad,' Walters added. The distinguished veteran of the year is Theresa Latiolais Guidry. Guidry was a nurse. She entered the U.S. Navy, which eventually guided her to serve during the Korean War. Memorial Day ceremony in St. Landry Parish honors soldiers Veterans reflect at Greenlawn Cemetery Memorial Day tribute A Stormy Week With Severe Weather & Flash Flooding Threat… Veteran's Home in Ville Platte undergoes renovations Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton arrested for DUI in West Virginia Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Which Indiana metro area is the fastest growing in the U.S.? A new study has the answer.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — In a study focusing on new construction permits filed in metropolitan areas across the United States, the Lafayette-West Lafayette area took the top spot as the fastest growing community. The study, conducted by California-based company S-Line Contractors, utilized building permit data, focusing on new housing permits, filed between January and February of this year, according to a news release. Ranking the 30 top spots for "fastest growing construction" across the U.S., here's how the study's findings came about. The data used in the study, the release said, was collected through the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Building Permit Survey within the U.S. Census Bureau and residential data through the U.S. Census. Additionally, the release said 2023 data retrieved from the Bureau of Economic Analysis was used to calculate construction-related GDP as a percentage of the metro area's total GDP, to determine the proportion of funds each area was allocating towards housing growth and investment within the period. The data concluded the Lafayette-West Lafayette metropolitan area secured the top spot, with a total of 630 new privately-owned housing units filed per 100,000 people in the two month time period. That number saw a significant gap between the second place spot of Carson City, Nevada, with 429 housing permits filed per 100,000 people. The study saw only one other Indiana city make the top 30 list, with Bloomington coming in at 18 with 177 housing permits filed per 100,000 people. S-Line Contractors spokesperson Sam Bitar said in the release the data was positive news for the "rapidly expanding locales" as the data showed robust economic vitality. "The housing market may feel stagnant right now in many places across the US, but these cities are operating against the trend," Bitar said. "A high number of new residences reflects both an increase in residential demand and the willingness of local government to devote the necessary funds to developing these areas." Here is the order, ranking 1-30, of U.S. cities identified in the study as "fastest growing." Lafayette-West Lafayette, Indiana Carson City, Nevada Sherman-Denison, Texas Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Ocala, Florida Punta Gorda, Florida Greenville, North Carolina Wilmington, North Carolina Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida Naples-Marco Island, Florida Port St. Lucie, Florida Lake Havasu City-Kingman, Arizona; Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, Florida Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, Alabama; Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida; Homosassa Springs, Florida Clarksville, Tennessee Burlington, North Carolina; Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Arkansas Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina St. George, Utah Bloomington, Indiana Richmond, Virginia Savannah, Georgia Boise City, Idaho Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina; Harrisonburg, Virginia Lubbock, Texas Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina Huntsville, Alabama Cleveland, Tennessee Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, North Carolina; Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, North Carolina Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa Spartanburg, South Carolina Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. She can be reached via email at jellison@ This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette-West Lafayette named fastest growing metro area, study finds
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Flash flood warning issued; Severe storms moving through parts of Acadiana
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -Flash flood warning issued and severe thunderstorms are moving through Acadiana brining strong winds, hail, heavy rain, and frequent lightning. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING is in place through 4 p.m. Saturday. A FLASH FLOOD WARNING has been issued for Lafayette Parish until 6:45 p.m. On top of the one to three inches of rain that have already fallen, one to two or more inches of rain could continue to fall causing roads to flood. Winds could gust over 60 miles per hour with half inch diameter hail. Across the area, rain chances will continue through about 6 p.m. before coming to an end as another humid, but quiet, night sets up around Acadiana. Stay off flooded roadways and find an alternate route if you come across flooding. Download the KLFY Weather App by clicking here. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Trump's ban on Harvard foreign students may come at a hefty price to the economy Flash flood warning issued; Severe storms moving through parts of Acadiana Partially blind NASCAR fan uses his other senses to enjoy the Coke 600 Cajun fall to Marshall in SBC Slugfest, 17-3 Tips for families traveling with loved one with Alzheimer's Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
