Free PPs now available for Louisiana Derby, Muniz Memorial

Photo: Steve Dalmado / Eclipse Sportswire

The Kentucky Derby trail makes a stop in New Orleans Saturday for the $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. The race is the first 100-40-20-10-point Derby prep of the year.

The race is headlined by Brad Cox trainee Mandaloun, who comes in off a win in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds on Feb. 13. Previously, the Into Mischief colt finished third in the Lecomte (G3) on the same track Jan. 16.

The winner of the Lecomte was Steve Asmussen's Midnight Bourbon, who returns for the Louisiana Derby. He finished third in the Risen Star but could benefit from the longer trip in the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby.

Second place in both races was Proxy, who also will return on Saturday for New Orleans-based trainer Michael Stidham. Proxy will be looking for his first win since a Dec. 19 allowance.

Other contenders in the race include Rightandjust, who finished sixth in the Risen Star after winning a stacked allowance race on Feb. 13, and O Besos, who finished fourth in the Risen Star.

Free past performances for the entire Louisiana Derby field are now available from our friends at Brisnet.

Another big race at Fair Grounds Saturday is the Muniz Memorial Classic (G2), featuring a field full of good older horses.

Trained by Brian Lynch, Spooky Channel comes into the race off a Jan. 31 win in the John B. Connally Turf Cup (G3) at Sam Houston. The 6-year-old gelded son of English Channel will be in search of his first career Grade 2 victory.

To get it, he would have to pull off an upset of Colonel Liam, who enters the race having won in his previous two races, the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) and the Tropical Park Derby. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the colt will be running 1 1/8 miles for the first time.

Captivating Moon, a 6-year-old son of Malibu Moon, will look to earn his second straight victory on Saturday. He scored his first career graded stakes win on Feb. 13 in the Fair Grounds Stakes (G2).

Courtesy of Brisnet, free Muniz Memorial Classic PPs are now available here. For more free data, visit our Past Performances page.

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