International Star Seeks Fair Grounds Hat Trick in LA Derby
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s International Star commenced his sophomore season on the outside looking in on the best 3-year-olds in America and on Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, he will start on the outside of the nine-horse field assembled for the 102nd Grade II $750,000 Louisiana Derby and try to establish himself as one of the best of his generation. Trained by Mike Maker, the son of Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus looks to sweep all three sophomore graded stakes at the New Orleans oval – a feat not accomplished since Fox Hill Farm’s Larry Jones-trained Friesan Fire in 2009 – and set himself up to possibly emulate his great sire on the first Saturday in May. Once again, locally based jockey Miguel Mena has the call on the game New York-bred International Star, who kicked off his sophomore campaign with a stylish 2½-length victory in the Grade III $200,000 Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 17 over Loooch Racing Stables and Chris Dunn’s War Story. Five weeks later in the Grade II $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 21, the brave charge would do just that – bravely charge through two tight openings on the Fair Grounds rail en route to a plucky one-length tally over that same Tom Amoss-trained rival. Easily the most accomplished in the field, International Star was assigned 3-1 morning line favoritism as he seeks his fourth graded stakes win in nine career starts. War Story, co-second choice at 4-1 on the morning line, returns to attempt to turn the tables after breaking slowly in both of his aforementioned graded stakes starts of 2015 and ultimately being outshined by International Star. Previous to those efforts, the gelded son of Northern Afleet annexed his first two efforts rather easily – a maiden special weight over seven furlongs at Churchill Downs and a one-mile allowance at Fair Grounds just 20 days prior to the Lecomte. Full of viable excuses for his two losses – including said quick turnaround to the Lecomte – the emblazoned chestnut also missed a work and was briefly out of the feed tub prior to the Risen Star, a race to which he rerouted following a journey to Oaklawn Park for the ultimately weather-delayed Grade III $300,000 Southwest Stakes. After a serene five weeks of preparing at Fair Grounds for its marquee event, all pre-race excuses will be null and void when the Brookdale Farm-born and -raised charge breaks from post six under new rider and Louisiana native Joe Talamo.
Joining War Story at 4-1 on the morning line is Zayat Stables’ D. Wayne Lukas-trained Mr. Z, who exits a third-place finish in the rescheduled Southwest on Feb. 22. Despite only one win from 10 starts, the son of Malibu Moon carries serious credentials and back-class – including placing in six graded stakes, two of which were Grade I. Drawing post two under new jockey Kent Desormeaux, the chestnut colt will shed the blinkers he has adorned for his previous quintet of efforts.
Donegal Racing’s Dale Romans-trained Keen Ice, a closing third in the Risen Star, and Stonestreet Stables, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Todd Pletcher-trained Stanford, a highly regarded stakes-placed allowance winner, both check in at 5-1 on the morning line for their connections. Keen Ice will try to move forward once again after charging impressively from last in the Risen Star to lose by just under three lengths. James Graham gets the return mount from post seven.
Stanford exits an effort in the $60,000 Islamorada Stakes over the Louisiana Derby’s 1 1/8-miles distance at Gulfstream Park in which he ran erratically and was disqualified from runner-up to last. Florent Geroux, who has won six stakes during the current Fair Grounds meet, picks up the ride from the rail. The fast-improving A Day in Paradise enters for the capable Larry Jones barn. Owned by Tommy Ligon, the bay gelding was a hard-trying second to War Story in the aforementioned Fair Grounds allowance on Dec. 28 and then returned exactly two months later to take the $50,000 Texas Heritage Stakes by 3¼ lengths at Sam Houston going a two-turn mile. Since, the son of Yes It’s True has worked impressively locally and will retain the services of Kerwin Clark from post five, who has been aboard for all five career starts.
The remainder of the field for the Louisiana Derby is comprised of local maiden winner Defondo (Brian Hernandez, Jr., post three), stakes-placed Fusaichi Flame (Francisco Torres, post four) and pace-setting Risen Star fourth-place finisher St. Joe Bay (Robby Albarado, post eight).
Source: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots