Leonard Fournette hopes to win he national championship and the Heisman Trophy in his third season at LSU.
The horse with his name is now a winner right out of the gate.
Fournette, a three-year-old Kentucky thoroughbred, won his first career race in exciting fashion, coming from behind to win by a nose in the sixth race at Belmont Park Friday. As a 14-1 shot, Fournette the horse paid $45,000 for the owner Staton Flurry, an avid LSU fan and owner of Flurry Stables in Hot Springs, Ark.
"I'm tickled to death," Flurry said. "I told my buddy if we were sitting about fourth making the turn for home, we're going to win it. They came rolling toard the finish line and he did it.
"I went a little crazy. We've been sitting on this horse for about 15 months waiting on him to run, dealing with injuries and stuff. It's been a long time coming and it was a big relief to get him on the track and win the first time out."
Fournette is owned by LSU fan Flurry Staton. Flurry's horse was ridden by jockey Luis Saez, who brought it home at the wire. Fournette nipped Rate for Me by a nose.
Fournette the football player noticed and tweeted out his congratulations.
Flurry said the plan is to eventually make his way down to New Orleans in mid-November to run on the Fair Grounds turf.
"Maybe Leonard can show up and get in the winner's circle with us," he said.
"For now, he'll got to Saratoga and probably run again in 3-4 weeks. After that, he'll stay in Saratoga for the summer and come back to Kentucky."
Flurry has a connection to LSU sports. He said his uncle played football at LSU in the 1960's and his father was raised in Louisiana.
"When we bought this latest horse, my trainer said, 'It's a big, stout tough looking horse.' I said, 'What better name than 'Fournette.' Hopefully, it will make him run like Leonard."
**************Fournette wins today congrats baby welcome to the family pic.twitter.com/o8uj2kAokv
— 7⃣ (@_fournette) July 15, 2016
Jim Kleinpeter can be reached at jkleinpeter@nola.com or 504.826.3405.