Horse racing news and analysis from TheFreePPs.com
ATTENTION: You can now access free past performances using the URL FreePPs.com.
Help the player. Help the game.
Free Past Performances
Home / News / Fair Grounds / Louisiana Derby Day Preview

Louisiana Derby Day Preview

Louisiana Derby Day is this Saturday with several stakes races on the under card that is highlighted by the G2 $1 million Louisiana Derby at 1 1/18 miles on the dirt for 3YO Kentucky Derby hopefuls.

The Derby is the 10th race on the 13 race card that also features several other noteworthy stakes races beginning with the 1 1/16 mile Star Guitar Stakes for a purse of $60,000 as the second half of the early daily double.

Star Guitar Stakes

Star Guitar, who is the now retired Louisiana bred runner that was campaigned at Fair Grounds by trainer Al Stall for the Brittlyn Stable, won the final eight races of his career including the Louisiana Champions Day Classic in 2010 and 2011. He is Louisiana’s all-time leading money earner having won 22 stakes races for a total of $1,749,862, and three-time Louisiana Horse of the Year. He currently stands at Clear Creek Stud for a fee of $3,500.

Six have been entered for the Star Guitar with One King’s Man listed as the morning line favorite at 5 to 2. Miguel Mena will ride for trainer Joe Sharp.

Crescent City Derby

The 5th race on the card is for 3YO Louisiana bred horses to go 1 1/16 miles on dirt for a $75,000 purse. At 7 to 2, Icy Gentleman is the ML favorite for trainer Henry Johnson, Jr.

New Orleans Ladies Overnight Stakes

This race is for fillies and mares, 4YO and up for a purse of $50,000 going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Jose Lezcano will ride the 2 to 1 favorite Tuttipaesi for trainer Bill Mott. She’s an Irish bred daughter of Clodovil out of a mare by the German sire Acetenango.

New Orleans Handicap

The first of the graded stakes races on Louisiana Derby Day is the G2 $400,000 New Orleans Handicap at 1 1/18 miles for 4YO’s and up, and has attracted such notable runners as last year’s Louisiana Derby winner International Star who also took the 2015 G3 Lecomte and the G2 Risen Star on the road to the 2015 Kentucky Derby before being sidelined with an ankle chip in his left front foot and scratched from the Run for the Roses on the morning of the Derby. He had surgery and was given several months off returning to finish 4th in the Zia Park Derby in November. Since then he came back to win the Louisiana Handicap here in January at 1 1/16 miles and was fourth in the G3 Mineshaft Handicap last month. John Velazquez will ride for Mike Maker at 3 to 1.

Muniz Memorial Handicap

Named for long-time Fair Grounds racing secretary Mervin Muniz, the G2 Muniz Memorial will be run at 1 1/8 miles on the turf for a purse of $300,000. It’s an open field of 4YO runners that includes 5 to 2 favorite Chocolate Ride and the Argentinian bred Take the Stand who will race for Bill Mott with Edgar Prado in the irons.

Twinspires Fair Grounds Oaks

The G2 $400,000 Twinspires FG Oaks is for 3YO fillies looking to make a name for themselves and a chance to head into the starting gate for this year’s Kentucky Oaks on May 6. Songbird is currently atop the leader board for the Oaks with 90 points. Land Over Sea, 3 to 1 for Saturday’s Fair Grounds Oaks, currently has 28 points. She’s a 3YO daughter of Bellamy Road who will race for trainer Doug O’Neill and John Velazquez gets the call to ride. At No. 14 on the leader board and another who will try and take down the top prize on Saturday is Stageplay who has just 14 points as the 5 to 2 early favorite for trainer Steve Asmussen. She’ll be ridden by Florent Geroux. The FG Oaks is worth 100 points to the winner and 40 points to the runner up.

Twinspires Louisiana Derby

Eleven have been entered to go the 1 1/8 mile distance of the Louisiana Derby including Gun Runner, currently at No. 3 with 51 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leader board behind Mohaymen with 70 and Destin with 51, neither of which he’ll face on Saturday. Gun Runner will add 100 points to his total if he wins on Saturday.

Gun Runner has won three of his four lifetime races including the G2 Risen Star in his last here on February 20 when he beat Mo Tom who opens as the ML favorite at 5 to 2 for trainer Tom Amoss.

Uncle Walter will race with blinkers on Saturday.