HorseCenter: Risen Star and Rachel Alexandra top picks

By Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman
Photo:

This week on HorseCenter, Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman delve into a big card Saturday at Fair Grounds with analysis and top selections. Both the Grade 2 Risen Star, for the boys, and the Rachel Alexandra (G2), for the girls, look to have major implications on the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks trails.

The Risen Star (G2) is clearly the best Kentucky Derby prep race run this year. The field of 12 includes three horses with prior victories on the Derby trail and four others who also won qualifying points. Track Phantom is the morning-line favorite based on his three-race winning streak, which includes the Gun Runner and the Lecomte (G3).

The Rachel Alexandra (G2) has a field of seven Kentucky Oaks hopefuls that includes four fillies with impressive stakes wins. V V’s Dream was made the favorite on the morning line with her three finishes in the top three in Oaks qualifiers, earning the Kenny McPeek trainee 18 points.

Good luck and enjoy all of the action at Fair Grounds. As always, thanks for watching the show.

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