An exciting edition of the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) is set for Saturday at Fair Grounds with a field of 10, including Southwest Stakes (G3) romper My Boy Jack and the top three finishers from the local Risen Star Stakes (G2) all lining up.
The 1 1/8-mile affair kicks off the second part of the Championship portion of the Road to the Kentucky Derby by offering 100-40-20-10 points toward a starting berth in the May 5 Kentucky Derby (G1).
Trainer Keith Desormeaux ships My Boy Jack outside of California for the second straight time in this spot. The Creative Cause colt spent his first seven races competing over tracks in the Golden State, beginning with his debut at Santa Anita Park last June. My Boy Jack was no factor that day on the main track, finishing sixth, but appeared to take to the grass when switched next out for a turf maiden at that same venue.
The Kentucky-bred racked up a trio of seconds, including the Del Mar Juvenile Turf in early September, before earning his initial victory in the grassy Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita Park on October 9. My Boy Jack showed back up at Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) and was beaten only three lengths when seventh on that occasion.
The dark bay colt ran third in the January 6 Sham Stakes (G3) while returning to the main track for his sophomore bow at Santa Anita, then shipped outside of California for the first time to take the Southwest on February 19 at Oaklawn Park. Regular rider Kent Desormeaux makes the trip to pilot My Boy Jack, who has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Louisiana Derby.
“As soon as he crossed the wire in Arkansas, we started thinking about our next move,” Keith Desormeaux said. “When you win over a track, it makes sense to run right back there, but (part-owner) Sol Kumin brought up a good point. The Rebel ([G2] which ran March 17 back at Oaklawn) is not an equal weights race, so off a graded stakes win, we would be at an immediate disadvantage. The Louisiana Derby is equal weights and there are twice as many points offered. It gives us an extra week, one million is a monster pot, and if we are forced to scratch or have an unlucky trip, there is time to get into another prep race and still make the Kentucky Derby.
“I live in California, but I’m 100 percent Louisiana-bred,” Desormeaux added. “I look for any good reason to come home, but that has no bearing on our racing decisions. Last year was my first time running in the Louisiana Derby, and we ran fifth with a (37-1) longshot Sorry Erik. We’ve had a nice run of success the last couple of years. It has been very rewarding for me and my family, anything that happens from this point forward is welcomed with appreciation and gratitude. A lot of hard work has gotten me here, and I just want to enjoy it.”
The last local prep for the Louisiana Derby was the Risen Star on February 17, which saw Bravazo and Snapper Sinclair battle throughout before the former prevailed by a nose over his rival. The D. Wayne Lukas trainee was sent off at 21-1 in the nine-horse field but easily outran those odds to earn his first stakes victory. The Awesome Again colt, who is now two-for-two on the year after taking his seasonal bow at Oaklawn by a neck on January 13, gets jockey Gary Stevens back in the irons and breaks from the rail as the 7-2 co-second choice.
Snapper Sinclair was actually sent off at longer odds than Bravazo in the Risen Star. The bay son of City Zip was the 41-1 second longest shot on the board despite finishing third in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) one race earlier. In fact, the Steven Asmussen pupil has gone off at double-digit odds in his past three races, with his 2017 finale coming as a 12th-placing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at 20-1. Snapper Sinclair reunites with Jose Oritz, aboard for the Kentucky-bred’s career debut last July at Belmont Park, and the pair have been made 9-2 on the morning line.
Noble Indy suffered his first career loss while making his stakes bow in the Risen Star for trainer Todd Pletcher. The Take Charge Indy colt wired his maiden debut by 8 3/4 lengths in early December at Gulfstream Park, then posted a three-quarter length score back at that track on January 11 while stretching out to 1 1/16 miles against allowance/optional claiming foes. The Kentucky-bred bay ran third throughout the Risen Star and on the wire was two lengths behind the top pair while a neck in front of Instilled Regard, who captured the Lecomte Stakes (G3) over the track one race earlier. Noble Indy keeps John Velazquez in the irons as the 7-2 co-second choice on the morning line.
Both Snapper Sinclair and Noble Indy have stablemates also entered in the Louisiana Derby.
Retirement Fund comes from the Asmussen shedrow, having suffered his first defeat from three career starts when seventh in the Southwest last out. Prior to that, the Eskendereya colt wired both his races going a mile and 70 yards at Fair Grounds under returning jockey Shaun Bridgmohan. He’s listed at 12-1 on the morning line.
Pletcher sends out Hyndford, who breaks just outside of Retirement Fund at 8-1 early odds. The Street Cry chestnut thus far has sandwiched a maiden claiming victory at Gulfstream between a fourth in a turf maiden at that venue and a runner-up effort in an allowance/optional claimer at Tampa Bay Downs. Joe Bravo will be aboard for the first time in this spot.
Dark Templar drew the far outside post and makes his stakes debut here for trainer Brendan Walsh at 12-1 on the morning-line. The Tapit colt broke his maiden sprinting six furlongs first out at Churchill Downs in November, then filled the third and second spots against allowance/optional claiming rivals at Fair Grounds in his next pair. The latter of those two came behind Retirement Fund on January 20, but Dark Templar returned to the winner’s circle most recently on February 19 with a 1 1/4-length wire job against similar going a mile and 70 yards. Florent Geroux has the call.
Lone Sailor finished third to Bravazo’s second in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) last fall at Keeneland, then held that rival to third by 3 1/4 lengths when second by a head in the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs next out. The Tom Amoss trainee closed out 2017 with a fifth-placing in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and didn’t show much in his seasonal bow while finishing ninth in the Lecomte. The Majestic Warrior colt rallied for second behind Dark Templar most recently and gets James Graham holding the reins once again. He’ll open at 20-1 on the morning line.
Givemeaminit is also listed at 20-1 early following a well-beaten eighth-placing in the Risen Star last out. Before that the Dallas Stewart charge was an eight-length maiden winner going six furlongs over a good, sealed track. The Star Guitar colt seems to do his best work sprinting, finishing in-the-money in all four attempts thus far including a neck third in last year’s seven-furlong Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. Javier Castellano takes the mount.
Marmello completes the field for the 105th running of the Louisiana Derby. Installed as the 50-1 longshot on the morning line for trainer Mikhail Yanakov, the bay son of Concord Point will attempt to earn his first career win in this spot following a third over Fair Grounds’ turf and a fourth-placing on the dirt at that track March 1. Jack Gilligan will be aboard.
Best jockies on the planet square off down on the bayou.