Horse named after Leonard Fournette wins race at Belmont

LSU running back Leonard Fournette is one of the favorites to win the 2016 Heisman Trophy. A horse named Fournette may be just as fast and just as strong as the junior back from New Orleans.

In terms of being a celebrity, you know you’ve made it if you’re Leonard Fournette when a horse that runs at Belmont Park and wins a race is named after you.

Leonard Fournette, LSU’s star running back and one of the best college football players in the nation, was pleasantly surprised that a three-year-old thoroughbred horse from Kentucky won its first race ever on Friday.

Fournette took to his Twitter account to tweet out his congrats for the horse.

The horse named after the 2016 Texas Bowl MVP was a 14-1 shot in the race and won owner and avid LSU fan Staton Flurry a purse of $45,000.

“I’m tickled to death,” Flurry said to NOLA.com.

“I told my buddy if we were sitting about fourth making the turn for home, we’re going to win it. They came rolling toward the finish line and he did it.”

Flurry also told NOLA.com that they plan to have Fournette the horse run down in New Orleans (Fournette the running back’s hometown). “Maybe Leonard can show up and get in the winner’s circle with us.”

As for Leonard Fournette, he and LSU continue to prep for their Sept. 3 season opener against the Wisconsin Badgers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

The star tailback ran for just 18 yards on eight carries two years ago during his freshman season in LSU’s comeback win over the Badgers in 2014.

It’s safe to say he’ll try to outshine his horse a couple months from now and maybe after the season, the two can duke it out and see who the fastest Fournette is.

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