With an early draw for the Feb. 25 Louisiana Derby Preview Day card, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots saw 38 horses entered for four graded stakes, including the $400,000 Risen Star (G2).
The Risen Star had 14 horses entered, including Lecomte Stakes (G3) winner Guest Suite and last year's Remsen Stakes (G2) victor Mo Town, who would be making his 3-year-old debut.
NOVAK: Guest Suite Steps Up in Lecomte
The graded stakes begin with the $125,000 Mineshaft Handicap (G3) for older horses going 1 1/16 miles. The field includes International Star, who swept the 2015 Lecomte, Risen Star, and Louisiana Derby (G2).
Among the seven 3-year-old fillies entered in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) is last year's 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) runner-up Valadorna, who will be making her second start of the season after prepping with a win last month in an allowance/optional claiming race at Fair Grounds.
BALAN: Valadorna Takes Season Debut at Fair Grounds
Trainer Mike Maker has entered four horses in the $125,000 Fair Grounds Handicap (G3T), including last year's Stars and Stripes Stakes (G3T) winner Greengrassofyoming.
BloodHorse will offer detailed previews of all of these graded stakes next week.
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, February 25, 2017, Race 8 Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, February 25, 2017, Race 9 Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, February 25, 2017, Race 10 Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, February 25, 2017, Race 11Entries: Mineshaft H. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Rise Up (KY) Mitchell Murrill 116 Thomas M. Amoss 10/1 2 2Eagle (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Neil J. Howard 5/2 3 3December Seven (KY) James Graham 114 Paul J. McGee 8/1 4 4Dalmore (FL) Kent J. Desormeaux 118 J. Keith Desormeaux 6/1 5 5Mo Tom (KY) Florent Geroux 116 Thomas M. Amoss 5/1 6 6Dazzling Gem (KY) Robby Albarado 118 Brad H. Cox 5/1 7 7Honorable Duty (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 118 Brendan P. Walsh 8/1 8 8International Star (NY) Miguel Mena 118 Michael J. Maker 4/1
Entries: Rachel Alexandra S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Untapped (KY) Florent Geroux 116 Steven M. Asmussen 9/2 2 2Farrell (KY) Channing Hill 122 Wayne M. Catalano 5/2 3 3Shane's Girlfriend (FL) Mario Gutierrez 120 Doug F. O'Neill 3/1 4 4Majestic Quality (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 116 J. Keith Desormeaux 20/1 5 5Valadorna (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 116 Mark E. Casse 2/1 6 6Wicked Lick (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 116 Brendan P. Walsh 10/1 7 7Gris Gris (KY) James Graham 116 Bernard S. Flint 12/1
Entries: Fair Grounds H. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Bullards Alley (KY) Marcelino Pedroza 116 Tim Glyshaw 12/1 2 2Greengrassofyoming (KY) Robby Albarado 118 Michael J. Maker 4/1 3 3Blame Angel (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 115 Bobby C. Barnett 20/1 4 4One Mean Man (KY) Mario Gutierrez 116 Bernard S. Flint 12/1 5 5Granny's Kitten (PA) Miguel Mena 121 Michael J. Maker 3/1 6 6Enterprising (FL) Julien R. Leparoux 118 Michael J. Maker 6/1 7 7Golden Soul (KY) John R. Velazquez 115 Dallas Stewart 20/1 8 8Western Reserve (KY) Shaun Bridgmohan 118 Brad H. Cox 7/2 9 9Oscar Nominated (KY) Florent Geroux 120 Michael J. Maker 7/2
Entries: Risen Star S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Girvin (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 116 Joe Sharp 6/1 2 2Untrapped (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 116 Steven M. Asmussen 10/1 3 3Local Hero (KY) Florent Geroux 116 Steven M. Asmussen 4/1 4 4Arklow (KY) Shaun Bridgmohan 116 Brad H. Cox 15/1 5 5Shareholder Value (KY) Mitchell Murrill 116 Thomas M. Amoss 15/1 6 6Guest Suite (KY) Robby Albarado 120 Neil J. Howard 6/1 7 7U S Officer (KY) Jose Valdivia, Jr. 116 Danny Pish 20/1 8 8Cool Arrow (KY) Gabriel Saez 120 Joe Sharp 15/1 9 9Mo Town (KY) John R. Velazquez 122 Anthony W. Dutrow 7/2 10 10Takeoff (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 116 Mark E. Casse 10/1 11 11Sorry Erik (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 116 J. Keith Desormeaux 30/1 12 12Horse Fly (KY) Miguel Mena 116 D. Wayne Lukas 30/1 13 13It's Your Nickel (KY) James Graham 116 Kenneth G. McPeek 30/1 14 14So Conflated (FL) Mario Gutierrez 120 Doug F. O'Neill 10/1
