Risen Star guide: Get odds, PPs, more for Kentucky Derby prep

Photo: Ben Breland / Eclipse Sportswire

The first of the Kentucky Derby 2024 preps offering 50 points to the winner takes place Saturday in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.

An important race in its own right and the local prep for the Louisiana Derby (G2), the Risen Star goes at about 7:17 p.m. EST as the 14th and final event.

We have Super Screener picks and analysis for the Risen Star as well as recent top speed figures for each contender.

You also may check out Horse Racing Nation’s free past performances page, where you may download PPs for the Risen Star and more, courtesy of our partners at Brisnet.

Risen Star best speed figures

PostHorseMLBeyer TimeformUSHRN
  1Tizzy Indy50-168  9183
  2Awesome Ruta30-178  9585
  3Honor Marie  6-19210796
  4Sierra Leone  4-19111299
  5Moonlight12-19010895
  6Real Men Violin  8-18910293
  7Hall of Fame  6-19412197
  8Catching Freedom  5-18711288
  9Cardinale12-18310978
10Resilience12-18010386
11Track Phantom  7-29011497
12Bee Dancer20-178  9192

Looking at the pace

Hall of Fame is expected to set a fast pace in the Risen Star with Cardinale, Track Phantom and Bee Dancer all giving chase while trying to cross over from their outside posts.

Pace projector courtesy of TimeformUS.

HRN picks for the Risen Star

This week’s Super Screener is highlighting the late Pick 5 at Fair Grounds that is anchored by the Risen Star. Super Screener creator Mike Shutty believes Join the Dance has a chance to kick the sequence off at a nice price in the Albert M. Stall Memorial:

"While Creative Cairo has defeated Join the Dance in their previous two meetings, form-cycle analysis indicates that Join the Dance will turn the tables on her rival here with a strong chance of running a lifetime best. She owns a quick turn of foot and also has shown an ability to run her best on off going, which is a possibility Saturday given the forecast."

Be sure to take advantage of HRN's $197 Super Screener offer that covers you all the way through to Kentucky Derby 2024. That’s 12 weeks of Super Screener analysis for one low price.

Ed DeRosa’s fair odds see the Risen Star as a wide-open affair and that bettors should watch the board before placing their bets. Awesome Ruta could outrun his 30-1 price tag.

Ashley Tamulonis and Laurie Ross went head to head handicapping the Risen Star. While they agree both Catching Freedom and Sierra Leone can hit the board, they diverged entirely on Track Phantom.

FanDuel TV racing analyst Caton Bredar joined the Ron Flatter Racing Pod to discuss the Risen Star as well as the undercard stakes at Fair Grounds on Saturday.

Here is the field for the Risen Star Stakes (G2):

2024 Risen Star G2

Post Silks Horse / Sire Rating Trainer / Jockey Last Start / Next Start HRN
1 Tizzy Indy
Take Charge Indy
4.45 J. Keith Desormeaux
James Graham
5th, 2024 Lecomte G3 Entered
Last Race 5th, 2024 Lecomte G3
2 Awesome Ruta
Mendelssohn
0.00 Joseph M. Foster
Mitchell Murrill
3rd, FG AlwOC (1/18/24-R8) Entered
Last Race 3rd, FG AlwOC (1/18/24-R8)
3 Honor Marie
Honor Code
6.78 D. Whitworth Beckman
Rafael Bejarano
1st, 2023 Kentucky Jockey Club G2 Entered
Last Race 1st, 2023 Kentucky Jockey Club G2
4 Sierra Leone
Gun Runner
6.58 Chad C. Brown
Tyler Gaffalione
2nd, 2023 Remsen G2 Entered
Last Race 2nd, 2023 Remsen G2
5 Moonlight
Audible
6.05 Todd A. Pletcher
Florent Geroux
4th, 2023 Remsen G2 Entered
Last Race 4th, 2023 Remsen G2
6 Real Men Violin
Mendelssohn
6.14 Kenneth G. McPeek
Brian J. Hernandez, Jr.
2nd, 2023 Kentucky Jockey Club G2 Entered
Last Race 2nd, 2023 Kentucky Jockey Club G2
7 Hall of Fame
Gun Runner
6.28 Steven M. Asmussen
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
1st, FG MSW (1/20/24-R5) Entered
Last Race 1st, FG MSW (1/20/24-R5)
8 Catching Freedom
Constitution
6.15 Brad H. Cox
Luis Saez
1st, 2024 Smarty Jones LS Entered
Last Race 1st, 2024 Smarty Jones LS
9 Cardinale
Speightstown
6.04 Todd A. Pletcher
Flavien Prat
2nd, GP AlwOC (1/5/24-R7) Entered
Last Race 2nd, GP AlwOC (1/5/24-R7)
10 Resilience
Into Mischief
5.23 William I. Mott
John R. Velazquez
1st, GP MSW (1/1/24-R6) Entered
Last Race 1st, GP MSW (1/1/24-R6)
11 Track Phantom
Quality Road
6.95 Steven M. Asmussen
Joel Rosario
1st, 2024 Lecomte G3 Entered
Last Race 1st, 2024 Lecomte G3
12 Bee Dancer
Bee Jersey
4.45 Dallas Stewart
Corey J. Lanerie
1st, FG MSW (1/20/24-R8) Entered
Last Race 1st, FG MSW (1/20/24-R8)

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