The Louisiana Derby trails heats up Saturday at Fair Grounds with the Grade 3 $250,000 Lecomte Stakes. The 1-1/16 miles test is the first of the Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races on the 20-10-6-4-2 points allotment for this season. The Lecomte will be the final race in the late pick 4, which features a 1 Million 1/ST Rewards Point Hit & Split promotion when you play Fair Grounds this Saturday with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet.
Let’s meet the contenders for the Lecomte Stakes (Race 13):
#1-QUALITY MISCHIEF: Horseshoe Indianapolis maiden breaker looks to improve upon a close-up fourth in the Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds on Dec. 20. Brad Cox trains the $300,000 Into Mischief colt, who has won 1 of 3 overall. Cox won this race in 2023 (Instant Coffee) and again a year ago with Disco Time. Marcellino Pedroza Jr. rides.
#2-CARSON STREET: Brendan Walsh-trained son of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense exits an 11-1/4 length blowout maiden win Dec. 4 at Fair Grounds. He had nibbled the placings in a trio of Churchill starts prior, including a maiden runner-up to eventual stakes winner Incredibolt. Caught a sloppy track and used Lasix in his breakout score. Axel Concepcion rides as Ben Curtis jumps to Walsh stablemate Stop the Car on Saturday.
#3-CROWN THE BUCKEYE: Multiple Ohio-bred stakes winner led most of the Gun Runner Stakes before giving way late and finishing third by just three-quarters of a length. The Mike Maker-trained son of top sprinter Yaupon did win around 2 turns prior at Mahoning Valley. Ricardo Santana Jr. takes the mount aboard the projected front-runner.
#4-EXOSOME: Late-running Keeneland maiden graduate in October returns to the races while making his stakes debut. Trainer Kelsey Danner tabs Jareth Loveberry to ride the $200,000 Candy Ride colt, who didn’t factor at all in his Ellis Park debut.
#5-GOLDEN TEMPO: Eye-catching debut sprint rally to win Dec. 20 in the colors of the Phipps Stable. Cherie DeVaux trains the home-bred son of Curlin, who stretches out from 6 furlongs to 1-1/16 miles while Jose Ortiz, last year’s Fair Grounds leading jockey, remains the pilot.
#6-THUNDER BUCK: Dec. 20 Fair Grounds route maiden winner is cross-entered Saturday in a Race 3 allowance. Luis Saez is named to ride in both spots for trainer Brad Cox, who seeks a third Lecomte in the last 4 years. Calumet home-bred is by Gun Runner and 1-for-2 lifetime, including a debut sprint fourth at Keeneland behind Lecomte rival Chip Honcho et al.
#7-MESQUITE: Second Cherie DeVaux entrant in the lineup joins Golden Tempo and comes off a similarly late-running maiden score. This Union Rags colt broke his maiden in November at Churchill Downs over Lecomte return rival Carson Street et al. Flavien Prat takes over for Jose Ortiz, who pilots Golden Tempo on Saturday.
#8-WHITE TIGER: Third Brad Cox charge in the entry box, this a Twin Creeks Farm home-bred by Constitution. He wired a Churchill route allowance in October at odds-on after a debut second behind highly promising Englishman in a Louisville sprint. Irad Ortiz Jr. has ridden in each start to date and travels from Gulfstream for the mount.
#9-OCELLI: Whit Beckman has this $12,000 bargain by Connect cross-entered Saturday in a Race 8 maiden on the undercard. Ocelli adds blinkers following a maiden route runner-up over the track behind Lecomte entrant Thunder Buck. His only other start was a third-place Churchill sprint maiden debut behind the respected Mob.
#10-STOP THE CAR: This Keeneland maiden debut and Churchill allowance winner looks to go 3-for-3 to open his career. The Brendan Walsh trainee is by 2019 star-crossed sophomore Maximum Security. Wins at 7-1 and 16-1 odds have been under-the-radar to date. Ben Curtis takes the mount for the first time as regular rider Tyler Gaffalione opts to stay at Gulfstream on Saturday.
#11-CHIP HONCHO: Gun Runner Stakes winner looks to go 2-for-2 in the Louisiana Derby series and, in doing so, notch a third straight victory overall. The $210,000 colt by Connect could give trainer Steve Asmussen (pictured) a record-tying fifth Lecomte score and third in the last six editions. Paco Lopez rode for the first time in the Gun Runner and retains his seat.
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