Lecomte Tops Big Saturday At Fair Grounds
The Road to the Louisiana Derby and Fair Grounds Oaks begins in earnest this Saturday with Road to the Derby Kickoff Day featuring five stakes worth $625,000, topped by the Grade III Lecomte for 3-year-olds, the first in the Fair Grounds’ three-race stakes series for Kentucky Derby hopefuls. The fillies kick off the Road to the Fair Grounds Oaks with the $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes. The Lecomte and Silverbulletday are worth 17 points (10 for first, four for second, two for third, one for fourth) toward Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks qualification.
Sugar Bowl S. romper Tour Guide will hope to take the next step of the Derby Trail in Saturday’s feature at Fair Grounds, the $200,000 Lecomte S. (G3). Trained by Bret Calhoun, the sophomore son of Broken Vow has endured only one subpar showing from five lifetime starts leading up to this, and with a mile drill on this oval last week, the bay colt should be fit for the test as the likely favorite.
Cup and Saucer winner Star Contender, Big Drama S. star Mr. Bandini’s Band and Mark Casse’s Gunderman, could be among the top threats to the horse to beat.
The $125,000 Colonel E. R. Bradley H. (G3) is also set for the big card on Saturday, and this grassy test attracted a well matched field. Woodchopper S. winner Unlatch, multiple Grade 2 placed Trend, Diliberto S. upsetter Strike Impact, Grade 3 victor Shared Property, Wayne Catalano’s Pass the Dice and Grade 3 winner Optimizer, from the barn of D. Wayne Lukas, are among the horses to watch in this race.
Also on tap is the $125,000 Silverbulletday S., $100,000 Louisiana H. and $75,000 Marie Krantz Memorial S.