First Look: Derby, Oaks points preps lead weekend slate

Fair Grounds hosts points preps for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks on Saturday, and Zozos returns in the Grade 3 Louisiana looking for another win in his second start since the Kentucky Derby.

Here's an early look at the likely fields.

Saturday

Lecomte (G3), Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds. 20-8-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby qualifying points

Steve Asmussen and Brad Cox train the likely favorites for this race. Cox’s Instant Coffee won the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) last out and has worked steadily at Fair Grounds since. Cox also has Tapit's Conquest, who is unraced since breaking his maiden when stretching out Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs. Asmussen's heaviest hitter could be Echo Again, who broke his maiden at 3-5 on debut at Saratoga but disappointed in the Iroquois (G3) before returning with a third-place finish in the Springboard Mile.

Silverbulletday (listed), Fair Grounds, 1 mile, 70 yards, 3-year-old fillies, 20-8-6-4-2 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points

Forest Chimes won her New Year’s Eve debut by 7 1/2 lengths at 1 1/16 miles here. Chop Chop had two wins and then a second in the Alcibiades (G1) before finishing 13th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Three from the Dec. 26 Untapable Stakes are entered here, including runner-up The Alys Look, who has a 4: 1-1-1 record for Cox. Norah G gets her first start beyond six furlongs after winning the Louisiana Futurity last out.

Louisiana (G3), Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up

Zozos won a Dec. 17 optional-claiming allowance in his first start since finishing 10th in the Kentucky Derby. Five of the six top finishers from the Tenacious Stakes at this distance will return here, including Happy American, who won by 2 3/4 lengths. Run Classic has a record of 4: 2-1-0 since returning in September from an eighth-place finish in the Louisiana Derby (G2). Business Model, sixth last out in the Tenacious Stakes, also is entered in the Colonel E. R. Bradley Stakes.

Interborough (listed), Aqueduct, 7 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Betsy Blue is coming off a win in the Garland of Roses last out and was third before that in the Go for Wand (G3). Piece of My Heart had three straight runner-up efforts before winning her last start at this distance on a sloppy Aqueduct track. Flight to Shanghai was fourth last out in the Go for Wand and was winless in five starts last year.

Colonel E. R. Bradley Stakes (listed), Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 miles (turf), 4-year-olds and up

Two Emmys, 2-for-5 last year, would make his first start since June. Greyes Creek rallied to win by a nose last out in an optional-claiming allowance at Turfway. Ready to Purrform, whose only win last year came in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2), would make his first start since finishing 10th in the Oct. 29 Bryan Station (G3).

Marie G. Krantz Memorial (listed), Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 miles (turf), fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Wave of Goodness was second by a head to Oliviaofthedesert last out in the Blushing K.D. Stakes, ahead of three others entered here. Carpe Vinum returned from a five-month break to finish fifth in the Blushing K.D. Charlie’s Penny has finished in the money in all but one of her 10 career starts.

Astra Stakes (listed), Santa Anita, 1 1/2 miles (turf), fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Tiz an Edventure has won six of her last seven, including the Miss America in her last start. Queen ofthe Temple went 0-for-5 after breaking her maiden in April, finishing third last out in the Red Carpet (G3). Duvet Day was sixth in the Red Carpet and then eighth in the American Oaks (G1)

Sunshine Turf (restricted), Gulfstream Park, 1 1/16 miles (turf), 4-year-olds and up

Lure Me In is 0-for-8 since winning this event last year. Me and Mr. C. broke a four-race losing streak with an allowance win here in November. Max K.O. was fourth in this race last year and is 1-for-7 since.