Epicenter, Call Me Midnight meet again in the Louisiana Derby
The winners of the Risen Star (G2) and Lecomte (G3) will face off next Saturday in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. The 1 3/16-mile race for 3-year-olds drew nine horses Saturday.
The field will compete in what is essentially an automatic Kentucky Derby qualifier for the winner and runner-up. The race awards points on a scale of 100-40-20-10 to the top four finishers. Mandaloun, who was elevated to first in last year’s Kentucky Derby after the disqualification of Medina Spirit, was sixth in last year's Louisiana Derby won by Hot Rod Charlie.
Epicenter, trained by Steve Asmussen, comes into the Louisiana Derby fresh off his win in the Feb. 19 Risen Star. In that Kentucky Derby prep he took a bump at the start, but quickly seized the lead and took them all the way before being geared down late to win by 2 3/4 lengths.
Prior to his win in the Risen Star, the Not This Time colt was second in Louisiana Derby rival Call Me Midnight in the Lecomte on Jan. 22.
Epicenter was installed as the 7-5 favorite on the morning line for the Louisiana Derby. He will be ridden from post 6 by Joel Rosario.
Call Me Midnight will be making his first start since rallying to win the Lecomte for trainer Keith Desormeaux.
The Midnight Lute colt was well of the pace in the Lecomte, before mounting a furious rally to beat Epicenter by a head at the wire. James Graham was in the irons for that race, and will have the ride again for the Louisiana Derby.
Call Me Midnight was installed at 6-1 on the morning line. He will break from post 3.
After finishing sixth when coming off a layoff in the Fountain of Youth (G2) on March 5 at Gulfstream Park, Rattle N Roll will wheel back in just three weeks to try and resuscitate his Derby prospects.
Trained by Kenny McPeek, the colt returned to work for the first time since the Fountain of Youth on Saturday, putting in a bullet five-five furlong drill at Gulfstream in 58.8 seconds.
The Connect colt broke his maiden in September at Churchill Downs before winning his stakes debut in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. He missed the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile due to a foot abscess.
At 6-1 on the morning line, Rattle N Roll will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. He will start from the extreme outside of the nine-horse field.
Despite finishing fourth in the Risen Star, Pioneer of Medina was made the 5-1 second choice on the Louisiana Derby morning line. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the Pioneerof the Nile colt sat in second for most of the Risen Star, before being overtaken by both Smile Happy and Zandon to finish fourth.
Pioneer of Medina had previously won an allowance race at Fair Grounds in January. He broke his maiden at Tampa Bay Downs in December.
Tyler Gaffalione will ride in the Louisiana Derby.
The Louisiana Derby is carded as the 12th and final race at Fair Grounds next Saturday. It is scheduled to go off at 6:44 p.m. EDT.