Kentucky Derby 2019 Radar: Tackett takes aim at Lecomte

Only once in the points era has a Kentucky Derby contender, Irish War cry, debuted at Laurel Park and ended up in the field on the first Saturday in May. And it has been since 1995 that Afternoon Deelites started in the Run for the Roses as a West Virginia-bred.

So it’s fair to say history is against Tackett parlaying a pair of sharp Fair Grounds victories into a campaign that lands him in the 2019 Kentucky Derby. But trainer Michael Stidham is going to give the gelding every opportunity, pointing him to a start next in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 19.

“He doesn’t know where he’s bred,” Stidham recently told Fair Grounds’ publicity team. “He’s doing well. He’s got a good attitude, a big stride and tactical speed going long, so we’re real excited about him.”

Tackett emerged as one to watch on Nov. 24, when he made easy work of a $41,000 maiden special weight flight in New Orleans, setting all the fractions on his way to a 7 1/2-length win. Going the same mile and 70-yard distance against winners on Dec. 22, he out-dueled Owendale for a neck win at Fair Grounds, while it was another 5 3/4 lengths back to third.

A DARRS Inc. homebred, the son of Limehouse is out of the mare Unostrike, a half-sister to two-time graded stakes winner Llanarmon. Tackett shows ascending speed figures from his first of three starts, a third-place finish going six furlongs on Oct. 11 at Laurel Park.

“He’s probably our top 2-year-old turning 3,” said Stidham, who saddled a career-best six graded stakes winners in 2018.

The barn is seeking its first Kentucky Derby starter, however. A march to that goal begins with the Lecomte, which pays out qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the Top 4 finishers. Tackett’s competition there will include Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) runner-up Plus Que Parfait and Mr. Money, who ran fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.