Chu Chu’s Legacy will have a cheering section up in the heavens on Saturday, when he seeks to win his second straight stakes race in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile at Louisiana Downs. The Juvenile is one of six Louisiana Cup stakes on the card. All are restricted to horses bred in Louisiana. Purses for the stakes total $300,000, making the card the richest of the meet at Louisiana Downs. :: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program. Chu Chu’s Legacy is named for the groom Elias Perez, a popular figure on the track known as Chu Chu who died last year. Perez worked for Allen Landry, the owner and trainer of Chu Chu’s Legacy, for about seven years. “Everybody on the racetrack loved him,” Landry said. “He was always in the paddock with me. He was a fun guy. “My wife names our horses, and she wanted to name a horse after him.” Chu Chu’s Legacy has won 2 of 3 starts and earned $60,800. He won a maiden special weight over five furlongs Aug. 6 at Evangeline Downs and one start later captured a $60,000 division of the track’s D.S. “Shine” Young Memorial Futurity by four lengths. The Beyer Speed Figure of 66 that Chu Chu’s Legacy earned last out is the best career number in the six-furlong Louisiana Cup Juvenile. Not bad for a horse Landry bought at auction for $4,000. “I got to say we just got really lucky,” Landry said. “He just caught our eye. We fell in love with him. He was just well made, looked sharp and looked racy.” But in the ring, bidding was surprisingly sluggish. “I said to myself, ‘What’s the problem with this horse,’ ” Landry said. Landry was pleasantly surprised with the final price he paid for the horse, and he’s thrilled with what’s transpired on the track. Landry also is pleased Chu Chu’s Legacy has become a fitting tribute to Perez. “He’s watching us,” Landry said. A son of Bind, Chu Chu’s Legacy will break from post 10 under Tim Thornton. The chief threat could be Schnell, who started his career with a maiden special weight win at Los Alamitos and has made his way east to take part in the Louisiana-bred offerings. He exits a runner-up finish to Chu Chu’s Legacy in the 5 1/2-furlong Shine Young Futurity. Schnell will break from post 2 under Diego Saenz. “He’s a horse that will eventually route, so going from five and a half to three-quarters plays in his favor,” trainer Ron Faucheux said. “We’re excited about him and his development.” Faucheux has the probable favorite in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies in Mirabeau. She’s looking for her fourth straight win and enters off a 10 1/4-length victory in a $60,000 division of the D.S. “Shine” Young Memorial on Aug. 29 at Evangeline. “She just continues to mature from race to race,” said Faucheux, who owns Mirabeau with Larry Romero. “Last race, I felt confident. Did I think she would win by 10 lengths drawing away? No. But she was doing really well and I felt confident. It was an exciting race for us to win.” Saenz has the mount on Mirabeau from post 8 in the field of 12. “She can do anything, she’s so mature,” Faucheux said. “She can be on the front. She can sit right off the pace. Being toward the outside, I expect her to lay right off the pace.” :: Start earning weekly cashback on your wagering today. Click to learn more. Faucheux and Landry will square off in one of the most anticipated races on the card, the $50,000 Sprint. Landry sends out defending winner Laughingsaintssong, who breaks from post 6 under Thornton. Last year, Laughingsaintssong won the race by 5 1/2 lengths, with a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 97. “He’s a true champion,” Landry said. “He’ll show up again. He’s ready.” The start will be the first since July 4 for Laughingsaintssong, who enters off a win in the $60,000 Louisiana Legends Sprint at Evangeline. “He runs good fresh,” Landry said. Monte Man, a multiple stakes winner of more than $600,000, defeated open company in a first-level allowance Aug. 20 at Evangeline. “He ran really big last race for us,” said Faucheux, who trains the horse for Ivery Sisters Racing. Gerard Melancon has the mount from post 10. “I like that he drew the outside post,” Faucheux said. “He runs his best race sitting right off the pace.” The $50,000 Distaff over 1 1/16 miles on turf drew 12, including the Landry-trained stakes winner Net a Bear, as well as stakes winners Is Too and Mariah’s Galaxy. Snowball goes up against Our Lost Love in the $50,000 Filly and Mare Sprint, which drew 14. The multiple stakes winner In the Navy and the Faucheux-trained Trevillion are part of a full field for the $50,000 Turf Classic.