Zardana named Fair Grounds Horse of the Meet

Arnold Zetcher’s ZARDANA (Brz) (Crimson Tide), the six-year-old mare who
shipped in to defeat reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia
d’Oro) in the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies, was named Horse of the Meet for Fair
Grounds Race Course’s 2009-2010 Thoroughbred meet by a vote of media and racing
officials following Sunday’s closing day program.

Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Heiligbrodt Racing
Stable — who combined to win the meet’s final stakes race with HISSE (Buddha)
in the $60,000 Red Camelia S. — took home awards as the season’s leading
horsemen in their respective categories.

Bridgmohan earned his first Fair Grounds leading jockey title with 79 wins,
seven more than runner-up James Graham at 72.

Asmussen won his ninth leading trainer title, tying him with Tom Amoss for
the all-time lead. Asmussen’s 69 wins left him 28 ahead of Bret Calhoun in
second place with 41 trips to the winner’s circle.

The Heiligbrodt Racing Stable of Houston residents Bill and Corrine
Heiligbrodt clinched their third Fair Grounds leading owner title on closing
day, finishing two wins in front of Southern Equine Stables (Michael Moreno), 22
to 20.

Hisse proved prophetically best by 4 3/4-lengths when winning Sunday’ Red
Camelia under Bridgmohan, who kept Hisse far back in the early going. The
five-year-old mare circled foes around the second turn while moving up, surged
clear a furlong out and proved much the best while finishing about 1 1/16-miles
over the firm Stall-Wilson turf course in 1:43 3/5. Hisse increased her earnings
to $332,071 while moving her record to 21-5-7-3.

“Hisse ran a great race on the grass today,” Bridgmohan said. “Everything
came together for me at the end of the season. I was able to expand my business
near the end of the season, but Steve (Asmussen) has backed me all along and I
really appreciate the way he has stuck with me all along.”

2009-2010 FAIR GROUND MEET
HONORS