The next phase of Derby prep races begins Saturday with the $250,000-dollar Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds.
The top five finishers in the Grade 3 Stakes will receive 20-10-6-4-2 points in descending order.
Here is a brief look at the field:
1. QUALITY MISCHIEF [ML 10-1] Jockey: Marcelino Pedroza. Trainer: Brad Cox. Made some progress in the Gun Runner Stakes over this track when he rallied for 4th by a length. With a rail trip on Saturday, and continued improvement he could be a major player.
2. CARSON STREET [ML 8-1] Jockey: Axel Conception. Trainer: Brendan Walsh. Won an off-the-turf race by 11 ¼ lengths while running at Fair Grounds for the first time. While that was in the mud, he has yet to be worse than 3rd in four career starts against good competition.
3. CROWN THE BUCKEYE [ML 4-1] Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr. Trainer: Mike Maker. He figures to be on the lead and could hang around to the end with a realistic pace. Was the pace setter in the Gun Runner on this track and at this distance and ran 3rd, beaten a little less than a length. There’s no Hoosier horse entered, so maybe he’s got a chance.
4. EXOSOME [ML 20-1] Jockey: Jareth Loveberry. Trainer: Kelsey Danner. Won a 1 1/16-mile Maiden race at Keeneland in the slop clocking a slow time. Before that he lost by more than 30 lengths. Exo- don’t think so.
5. GOLDEN TEMPO [ML 8-1] Jockey: Jose Ortiz. Trainer: Cherie DeVaux. Rallied from 10th in his debut to win at six furlongs. His time was good and as a son of CURLIN he deserves a look going around two turns. Ortiz opted to ride this one as opposed to trainer DeVaux’s other starter, MESQUITE.
6. THUNDER BUCK [ML 6-1] Jockey: Luis Saez. Trainer: Brad Cox. Comes in off a solid Maiden win with a good time over this track. If he moves forward in his first attempt against winners, he could play a role.
7. MESQUITE [ML 8-1] Jockey: Flavien Prat. Trainer: Cherie DeVaux. He responded positively to being stretched to two turns at Churchill Downs in November. Has been working nicely since then and seems worthy of some serious consideration, especially with Prat picking up the ride.
8. WHITE TIGER [ML 8-1] Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Trainer: Brad Cox. His speed figure dipped a bit when he worked harder than expected to win in gate-to-wire in his second start. Has Irad in the saddle and should be in the mix in a highly competitive field.
9. OCELLI [ML 12-1] Jockey: Joseph Ramos. Trainer: Whit Beckman. Still a Maiden after starts with 2nd and 3rd-place finishes. Not necessarily a toss in a field filled with relatively inexperienced runners. Adds blinkers and his speed figures are competitive with the top candidates.
10. STOP THE CAR [ML 8-1] Jockey: Ben Curtis. Trainer: Brendan Walsh. He’s undefeated in two starts, with his most recent victory coming in Allowance company. If he can replicate his last try, he could be in the mix.
11. CHIP HONCHO [ML 9-2] Jockey: Paco Lopez. Trainer: Steve Asmussen. Not the ideal post position but last year’s Lecomte winner came from post 10. He won the Gun Runner with a strategy of pressing the pace while breaking from the rail in a field of six. The big question is can Lopez avoid a wide trip from the outside post.
The Lecomte Stakes is listed as the final race on a card of 13 with a scheduled Post Time of 7:00.
Best of luck however you play it.
