Exclusive 2025 Risen Star LIVE chat ahead of Saturday racing

Thanks to everyone that joined in our chat ahead of racing on Saturday for the Risen Star. Remember, tomorrow we have our LIVE blog with up-to-date news during racing at Fair Grounds. We hope to see you all there!

Discover everything you need to know about horse racing this weekend, including top horses, best bets, tournaments, key races, and many great promotional bonus offers you just can't say no to.

There's plenty of stakes action on the undercard too, and I'm interested to see how Tufani fares as a 10-1 shot on the morning line in the Al Stall Memorial (the 10th race). She looked like a filly going places for Michael Stidham last winter, and she might be rounding back into that sort of form.

Argentine import Nanda Dea might be too tough, but Tufani could outperform her odds and offer some value.

Handicapping not only concerns finding the main contenders and the probable winner, but also determining who aren't likely to be in the frame at all. There are a few horses like that in the Risen Star, in my opinion. #11 Jolly Samurai appears simply to lack the class, given his efforts in the Springboard Mile and Lecomte. #6 Seattle Road lacks much in the way of positional speed and presumably will have a lot of ground to make up. And I'm not as bullish as some of the other folks here on #12 Vamos Carlitos, whose dirt form is solid but in slowly-run affairs. These three I would fade from exotic wagering plans.

Here's another peek from our trackside team of East Avenue coming off the track after a strong gallop. He does look like a stout contender for sure. What a beauty!

My top choice to win the Risen Star is #1 American Promise (12-1). I thought he ran deceptively well in the Southwest (G3) last time out. Facing a deep field, American Promise broke poorly and conceded a couple of lengths at the start. He then rushed up wide to engage eventual winner Speed King in an intense duel that saw them pull six lengths clear of the rest.

American Promise did tire down the homestretch, but he was beaten only 6 1/2 lengths at the finish. Two starts back he won a fast maiden race at Oaklawn Park, so he fits well against the Risen Star field on his best day. If American Promise can break cleanly and save ground (over a potentially biased track) from post 1, I believe he has a path to the winner's circle.

I personally feel East Avenue will rebound with a win in the Risen Star as he looks the best horse on paper. #9 Built, who likely inherits the role of second choice following the announced scratch of #2 Jonathan's Way, is a logical threat to pull the minor upset. Although he got a dream trip winning the Gun Runner Stakes on the front end in December, his regression in last month's Lecomte Stakes can be excused somewhat by the sloppy surface, which trainer Wayne Catalano didn't feel he handled too well. He still only lost by a neck to Disco Time, who is sitting out the Risen Star.

#10 Render Judgment, from the barn of last year's Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Kenny McPeek, has not been a serious threat to win either of his previous prep attempts. But as a son of the long-winded Blame, his best days should be ahead of him and he will benefit stretching out to nine furlongs Saturday.

Meet the horses running at Fair Grounds this weekend!

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During the past week or two, there hasn't been anything wrong with racing inside over the Fair Grounds dirt track. In fact, some days the track has seemed outright biased in favor of horses racing along the inside.

That's something to keep in mind on Risen Star day. If horses who save ground on dirt perform well throughout the afternoon, you may want to plan your Risen Star Stakes bets accordingly.