Meet the Contenders: Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds | Saturday
January 13, 2025 | By Jeremy Plonk
The Louisiana Derby trail heats up at Fair Grounds as prospects for this year’s Kentucky Derby match up in the Grade 3 $250,000 Lecomte Stakes. Major Triple Crown series players like Two Phil’s, Epicenter, Mandaloun and War of Will have come out of recent editions of this race. Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet can take advantage of a 2 Million 1/ST Rewards Points Hit & Split promo on the late pick 4, anchored by the Lecomte.
Let’s meet the contenders for Saturday’s Lecomte (Race 12):
#1-INNOVATOR: 89-year-old trainer D. Wayne Lukas won his 15th career Triple Crown race with Seize the Grey in last year’s Preakness. This Advent Stakes runner-up from Oaklawn is a recent maiden breaker. His game second at Churchill to next-out San Vicente winner Barnes showed this son of Authentic possesses class. Lukas is a 2-time Lecomte winner, including eventual Preakness winner Oxbow in 2013.
#2-MAXIMUM PROMISE: Ellis Park second-start maiden breaker by more than 14 lengths, this is one of trainer Kenny McPeek’s follow-ups to a 2024 crop that saw Mytik Dan win the Kentucky Derby and Thorpedo Anna win the Kentucky Oaks. Son of disqualified Kentucky Derby winner Maximum Security makes his first start since August.
#3-ADMIRAL DENNIS: The Brad Cox barn won this race 2 years ago with Instant Coffee and looks for a bounce-back effort from this Gun Runner Stakes beaten favorite. Constitution colt disappointed in fourth behind Built and Magnitude ins his Fair Grounds unveiling after showing promise at Churchill Downs. Joel Rosario rides for the first time; he won this race a year ago aboard Track Phantom.
#4-MAGNITUDE: Gun Runner Stakes second-place finisher represents 4-time Lecomte Stakes-winning trainer Steve Asmussen. Since that December 21 local unveiling, he’s added a January 6 bullet workout (fastest of 22). Jose Ortiz takes the return mount on the son of Not This Time. He won twice in Kentucky before making his way to Louisiana.
#5-OPTICAL: Churchill starter allowance winner steps up into stakes company having 2 of his last 4 starts. City of Light colt races for Keith Desormeaux, who trained 2022 Lecomte winner Call Me Midnight. $40,000 purchase has earned nearly 3 times that amount through 7 races.
#6- GOLDEN AFTERNOON: Turf specialist has wins at Kentucky Downs and Fair Grounds on his ledger, sandwiched around a solid runner-up in the Grade 2 Bourbon on turf at Keeneland. Nick Vaccarezza takes over the training duties from father Carlo for this gelding by two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents.
#7-CALLING CARD: Jockey Frankie Dettori starts his pursuit of a Triple Crown mount with this Mike Maker trainee. The Complexity New York-bred broke his maiden by more than 17 lengths at Aqueduct prior to an Oaklawn allowance third against open company. He’s won 1 of 4 to date.
#8-TOUGH CATCH: Fair Grounds’ Sugar Bowl winner stretches out off that 6-furlong victory as the 2-5 favorite. Trainer Dallas Stewart is off to a hot start in New Orleans and won this race in 2003 with Saintly Look and 2005 with Storm Surge. All 5 starts to date have been sprinting, but he’s bred to route.
#9-DAPPER MOON: Also for 2-time Lecomte winner Dallas Stewart, this Louisiana-bred already has had success in open company. He debuted a Saratoga winner and was fourth in 3 straight graded stakes last fall. Exits a local allowance sprint win over the track against state-breds as a tuneup.
#10-MOBETTERTHANGOOD: New York-bred debuted a winner at Saratoga in September against restricted company and makes his first start since. Trainer Kenny McPeek of Mystik Dan and Thorpedo Anna fame from the ’24 crop, turns to jockey CJ Hernandez aboard this son of Mo Town.
#11-DISCO TIME: Juddmonte home-bred by Not This Time has won both starts by 3-plus lengths. Dam Disco Chick was a multiple stakes-winning sprinter, so we’ll find out if her son can handle 2 turns. Brad Cox looks to add to his 2023 Lecomte victory by Instant Coffee
#12-JOLLY SAMURAI: Two-time stakes winner at Remington Park was an even fifth in the Springboard Mile last out, a race that produced last week’s Smarty Jones winner Coal Battle. The Danny Pish trainee was 3-for-3 around 1 turn before suffering his first defeat around 2 turns.
#13-BUILT (pictured): Romping, wire-to-wire winner of Fair Grounds’ Gun Runner Stakes looks to continue his winning ways in search of a third straight score. Broke his maiden at second-asking at Keeneland prior. Sire Hard Spun won the 2007 Lecomte en route to a Kentucky Derby second and Preakness third. Trainer Wayne Catalano gets a return ride from Jareth Loveberry, guided Two Phil’s to a 2023 runner-up in the Lecomte.
#14-SEATTLE ROAD: Trainer Tom Amoss is 4-time Lecomte winner at his hometown track (1994, 1999, 2010, 2016). Deep closer may have to rally from last from the far outside post, needing a fast pace for his best chance. Rallied to win Dec. 21 locally over this distance in his fourth lifetime start.
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