Kentucky Derby 2019 Radar: Risen Star field takes shape
Another sizable field — and perhaps a full one — is set to assemble for the first Kentucky Derby 2019 prep to where if you win, you’re in.
The Feb. 16 Risen Star (G2) draws Saturday, and a combination of feedback from the Fair Grounds racing office and a few published reports pushed our Stakes Tracker to 12 known possible entries, more than half of which are considered probable.
War of Will leads the list. The Mark Casse-trained son of War Front remained in Louisiana following his emphatic score in last month’s Lecomte Stakes (G3), the graded dirt debut for a colt who was previously Grade 1-placed on turf.
Hog Creek Hustle (second), Wicked Indeed (fourth), Plus Que Parfait (fifth) and Chase the Ghost (sixth) could also run back from the Lecomte in the Risen Star, which pays out Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 50-20-10-1 basis to the Top 4 finishers.
Mr. Money, fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, missed the Lecomte when he came down with a cough during his gallop the day before the race. He could enter or look for spots elsewhere, while two other big names Risen Star-bound are recent Fair Grounds allowance winner Owendale and Country House.
The latter, according to the Daily Racing Form's Jay Privman will ship in for trainer Bill Mott off a last-to-first 3 1/2-length maiden win Jan. 17 at Gulfstream Park. A start before that, Kentucky Wildcat, a contender in Tampa Bay Downs’ Sam F. Davis (G3), defeated Country House, so perhaps that one will give us a read on the Risen Star runner.
Also per DRF's Byron King, Mike Maker-trained stakes winners Dunph and Henley’s Joy will try the Risen Star. A Kitten’s Joy colt, Henley’s Joy has made each of her six prior starts on turf, running second last out in Gulfstream’s Kitten Joy. Flameaway used the same race a year ago as a springboard to his Sam F. Davis victory on dirt.
Finally, Frolic More, runner-up to Owendale in his last start, and Limonite, the Steve Asmussen-trained third-place finisher of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2), round out known possible runners.
That makes 12 horses mentioned, with the 1 1/16-mile Risen Star limited to 14 starters. The race precedes the March 23 Louisiana Derby (G3), Fair Grounds’ final prep before top local runners shift their focus to the Kentucky Derby.