Lecomte 2023: Instant Coffee wins his 2nd Ky. Derby prep

In a thrilling run down the stretch, Gold Square’s Instant Coffee ran down Two Phil’s inside the final sixteenth of a mile Saturday at Fair Grounds to win the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths.

Instant Coffee earned 20 points toward a potential run in Kentucky Derby 2023. Backing up his impressive win in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) in November, Instant Coffee has 32 qualifying points, second only to the undefeated Forte, who has banked 40.

Instant Coffee went the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:45.12 under jockey Luis Saez.

“I really liked the way (Instant Coffee) picked them up at the three-eighths (pole),” winning trainer Brad Cox said. “Oftentimes in these two-turn, 3-year-old races, there’s some speed, and there was (Saturday). Luis did a good job guiding him to the outside, and he stayed on down the middle of the track.”

Click here for Fair Grounds entries and results.

It was the first win in the Lecomte for both trainer Cox and Saez, who also won on The Aly’s Look and Derby hopeful Determinedly in an allowance race earlier on the card.

Cox ran third in the 2021 Lecomte with eventual Risen Star (G2) winner Mandaloun, who was the adjudicated winner of the Kentucky Derby that year when Medina Spirit was disqualified.

Cox also took first and second in Saturday’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) points prep, the Silverbulletday, with The Alys Look pulling away late from Chop Chop. The Cox barn also sent out winners Saturday in three of the four 2-year-old stakes, including Jace’s Road in the Gun Runner, Corona Bolt’s in the Sugar Bowl and Dazzling Blue in the Letellier.

A horse with proven stamina, Instant Coffee let the field go early, settling in last, six lengths behind the frontrunner Echo Again, who blitzed through the early fractions of 24.20 and 47.19 seconds.

Confidence Game tracked Echo Again three wide and, in the second turn, made his move for the front as Echo Again faltered.

Emerging from a relaxed stalking trip in the second turn, Two Phil’s moved to the lead at the top of the stretch and dug in for the battle against Instant Coffee, who charged down the five path and proved to be too much.

“We knew there was going to be a little speed in the race and that the long stretch is good for him,” Saez said. “We were in good shape. I felt like when he came into the stretch, he wanted to pass everybody and get there first. He’s a pretty honest horse. Brad always does a great job.”

Two Phil’s finished second, earning eight qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby. Trained by Larry Rivelli, the son of Hard Spun was piloted by Jareth Loveberry.

“I thought he moved a half a touch early, but he ran really good,” Loveberry said. “He dug back in. He wanted to come back. He got outrun today, but he’ll be back.”

Confidence Game finished 7 3/4 lengths back in third, earning six points to go with the one point he earned finishing fifth in the Iroquois (G3). Three lengths behind Confidence Game, Denington earned four points to bring his total to eight. Farther up the track Bromley earned two points by finishing fifth.

Echo Again was pulled up by jockey Tyler Gaffalione when he got hurt passing the three-sixteenths pole. According to TVG, Gaffalione said Echo Again’s stifle locked up and that he thought it probably was a minor injury. The Equibase chart reported that the colt trained by Steve Asmussen walked off.

Bred by Sagamore Farm in Kentucky, Instant Coffee is by Bolt d’Oro out of the Uncle Mo dam Follow No One. The first place prize of $120,000 lifted Instant Coffee’s earnings to $442,815 from a record of 4: 3-0-0.

Instant Coffee, the even-money favorite, rewarded his backers with mutuels of $4.60, $2.80, and $2.10.

Owner Al Gold has hopes that Instant Coffee can be their second Kentucky Derby runner after Cox-trained Cyberknife finished 18th last year.

“He’s a nice colt,” Cox said. “He’s a really sound horse with a good mind. Hopefully we can keep him happy and healthy. You have to be able to put them on a van, ship them around. That’s what good horses are going to have to do. You can’t have any excuses. This horse has been able to do that, but right now I’m pretty content with keeping him right here.”