FIRST SAMURAI’s Not On Herb won his fourth career stakes race on Saturday with a victory in the Gary P. Palmisano Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds.
Making his 2025 debut a little over a month after ending 2024 with a stakes placing, Not On Herb was keen to get his year off on the right start in the six furlong race. He immediately pressed the leading Geaux Sugar to keep that one honest and crept closer as the race progressed.
In the final furlong, the race was truly on with Not On Herb engaging the longtime leader in a duel with the rest of the field left behind. He didn’t get his head in front until they hit the line, but it was just enough to win by a head with the third placed runner 6 ¼ lengths behind.
Trained by David Terre for Crusaders Stable, Not On Herb is an eight time winner with nearly $340,000 in earnings. The 5-year-old has finished on the board 12 of 18 times with seven top three placings in stakes.
FIRST SAMURAI already has three winners in 2025 and is one of only 25 stallions with a stakes winner so far this year.