First Look: Journey to Kentucky Derby stops in New Orleans

Fair Grounds stakes were not always bellwethers for the Kentucky Derby. Even though the track has been around more than 1 1/2 centuries, only five eventual Derby winners came through New Orleans before 2020.

Then the trend changed. Mandaloun and Rich Strike graduated from Fair Grounds to get Derby victories, and Midnight Bourbon, Epicenter and Two Phil’s went on to become runners-up.

One adjustment has been that Fair Grounds qualifiers for the Derby were lengthened five years ago to their current distances, including Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile, Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes. It is the first of the next-level preps with points increased to 20-10-6-4-2 for the top five finishers. Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon, Epicenter and Two Phil’s all hit the board in the Lecomte before doing it again less than four months later at Churchill Downs.

Points races for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) also are scheduled Saturday at Fair Grounds and Aqueduct. They are among seven key stakes this weekend.

Saturday

Lecomte (G3), Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, Kentucky Derby 10-5-3-2-1 points race

Built took advantage of Admiral Dennis’s stumbling start Dec. 21 to get loose on the lead and win by 6 3/4 lengths in the Gun Runner Stakes, a Derby prep that covered the same two-turn course and distance as the Lecomte. On his own merit, the $260,000 Hard Spun colt still got a 92 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form. Admiral Dennis, the odds-on favorite last month, settled for fourth place. He gets another shot at Built and Magnitude, who finished second in the Gun Runner. Nick Vaccarezza, 25, makes his training debut with Golden Afternoon as he takes over for his father Carlo Vaccarezza.

Silverbulletday, Fair Grounds, 1 mile and 70 yards, 3-year-old fillies, Kentucky Oaks 10-5-3-2-1 points race

Simply Joking made her ambitious debut a successful one on the Gun Runner undercard. Facing two last-out winners and three other rivals, the Practical Joke filly trained by Whit Beckman overcame a troubled trip to win the six-furlong Letellier Stakes. On the same card last month, impressive maiden winner Golden Global finished second for trainer Kenny McPeek as the even-money favorite in the Untapable covering the same mile and 70 yards as she will race in the Silverbulletday. Bless the Broken was cross-entered in the Busanda at Aqueduct, but trainer William Walden said she would race in the Silverbulletday.

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

Five-year-old millionaire Hit Show seeks his fifth win in the last seven starts. He also tries to reverse his failure Nov. 29 in the Clark (G2). As the 3-2 favorite that day at Churchill Downs, he finished third only to be demoted to fifth for drifting out and interfering in the deep stretch. A four-time graded-stakes winner for trainer Brad Cox, Hit Show will be reunited with Florent Géroux, who rode him to his four victories in 2024. Skinner, another 5-year-old, was moved from John Shirreffs to trainer Cherie DeVaux since he won the Nov. 23 Native Diver (G3) at Del Mar.

Busanda, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 miles, 3-year-old fillies, Kentucky Oaks 10-5-3-2-1 points race

Ramify, who looked green but still won her debut going one mile last month at Aqueduct, will add a second turn when she takes on stakes company this weekend. A Juddmonte homebred filly by Munnings out of Tapit mare Chamber, Ramify made up 13 lengths to win by a half-length for trainer Chad Brown. Her opposition will include Running Away, a Gun Runner filly who switched from turf to dirt for a maiden-breaking, five-length win Nov. 30 for trainer Wesley Ward. Bless the Broken was cross-entered in the Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds, where Walden said she will go Saturday.

Leonatus, Turfway Park, 1 mile, synthetic, 3-year-olds

The profile of this race was raised when Rich Strike, who finished third to start his 3-year-old season, went on to his sensational 80-1 upset in the 2022 Kentucky Derby. Can’t Deny It comes in off a debut victory going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf at Fair Grounds last month. The $135,000 Justify colt is trained by Larry Rivelli, who has won 8 of 16 starts this month at Turfway. Chunk of Gold stalked his way to a six-furlong debut victory Dec. 19 over the same Tapeta he will see Saturday. In this field of eight, his 85 Brisnet Speed Rating is second only to Can’t Deny It’s 86.

Sunday

La Cañada (G3), Santa Anita, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 4-years-old and up

It has been nearly a year since Alpha Bella made her stakes breakthrough. The Don Alberto homebred won on her seventh try at added money, holding on for a three-quarter-length victory in the La Prevoyante (G3) on Pegasus day at Gulfstream Park. That was for her old trainer Pletcher. The 5-year-old Justify mare went west last summer to the barn of John Sadler. Alpha Bella since finished second in both the Zenyatta (G2) at Santa Anita and the Bayakoa (G3) on the Breeders’ Cup undercard at Del Mar. This race was pushed back a day because of the schedule changes forced by Los Angeles County wildfires.

Las Ciénegas (G3), Santa Anita, about 6 1/2 furlongs, hillside turf, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Toupie is expected to be the favorite in this race that was postponed from last weekend. This will be the 4-year-old Uncle Mo filly’s second start at Santa Anita. Her first in September resulted in a 1 1/2-length victory in the Unzip Me Stakes, also going 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill course. A Wertheimer brothers homebred trained by Graham Motion, Toupie most recently finished fourth Nov. 8 as the 3-2 favorite in the Autumn Days turf sprint at Aqueduct.