Geaux Sugar Sweetly to the Lead for Costa Rising Title

Geaux Sugar with jockey Mitchell Murrill aboard pulls away to capture the 15th running of the $100,000 Costa Rising Stakes at Fair Grounds..  Hodges Photography 

New Orleans, La (March 22, 2025) – Single Malt Stables’ Geaux Sugar scored his third stakes title of the meet, wiring the field of 13 older Louisiana-bred males in the $100,000 Costa Rising Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Trained by Keith Bourgeois, Geaux Sugar proved his natural speed fires just as effectively on the turf, covering the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.19. Monsieur Candy rode the rail to finish 1 3/4 lengths back in second. Mark’s Promise ran third.

“The rest he had did him a lot of good,” Bourgeois said. “It was time for a little freshening. I knew he’d run well on the turf because I won one on the turf with him after the claim.”

Claimed for $10,000 in May of 2024, since then the son of Half Ours has rattled off four wins, including the Andrew Ney Memorial and Louisiana Champions Day Sprint. Mitchell Murrill was aboard for all three stakes wins.

“I gotta thank Mr. Bourgeois and all the guys behind this horse,” Murrill said. “He’s been super special this winter. He’s one-dimensional. You stay out of his way and let him do his thing and he’ll take you along for a ride.”

Sent off as the 2-1 favorite, Geaux Sugar returned $6.80, $4.40, and $3.80. Monsieur Candy paid $8.80 and $7.40. Mark’s Promise returned $8.60.

Geaux Sugar has a lifetime bankroll of $371,890 from a career record of 20-10-3-2.