The Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve runs through New Orleans this Saturday, when 85 Derby qualifying points are up for grabs at Fair Grounds in the Risen Star Stakes presented by Lamarque Ford. Ten 3-year-olds are entered in the $400,000 race and America's Best Racing gives you an in-depth look at the entire field and the Risen Star Stakes betting odds.
1. High North (15-1)
Jockey: Corey Lanerie
Trainer: Brad Cox
Owner: Shortleaf Stable
Career record: 4 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $67,350
Earnings per start: $16,838
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 86
Pedigree: Midnight Lute – Spacy Tracy, by Awesome Again
Color: Bay
Running style: Closer/stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: High North makes his 2018 debut here after 2 ½ months off. He broke his maiden at Keeneland in his third try and followed that up with a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs. High North was bought for $230,000 as a yearling by owner Shortleaf Stable.
2. Noble Indy (5-1)
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owners: WinStar Farm and Repole Stable
Career record: 2 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $51,600
Earnings per start: $25,800
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 101
Pedigree: Take Charge Indy – Noble Maz, by Storm Boot
Color: Bay
Running style: Pacesetter
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Undefeated Noble Indy won his career debut in December in an 8 ¾ length romp and followed that up with an allowance win at Gulfstream Park last month. His connections are familiar with the rigors of the Triple Crown trail, with co-owner WinStar Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher partnering to win the 2010 Kentucky Derby with Super Saver and co-owner Mike Repole campaigning various Triple Crown hopefuls in the last decade. Pletcher has won the Risen Star three times since 2010.
3. Givemeaminit (15-1)
Jockey: Shaun Bridgmohan
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Owner: Valene Farms
Career record: 7 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $213,466
Earnings per start: $30,495
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99
Pedigree: Star Guitar – Powerful Nation, by Turkoman
Color: Bay
Running style: Stalker/closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Givemeaminit didn’t win a race until his seventh career start but that was just his second try against fellow maidens. After a runner-up finish in his debut at Saratoga he finished third in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes and later finished fourth in the Grade 1 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at odds of 63-1. His lone winning effort came less than three weeks ago at Fair Grounds when he dominated a maiden special weight race by eight lengths. Trainer Dallas Stewart won the 2001 Risen Star with Dollar Bill. Louisiana-bred Givemeaminit is a son of a legendary Louisiana runner in sire Star Guitar.
4. Snapper Sinclair (8-1)
Jockey: Adam Beschizza
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Owner: Bloom Racing Stable
Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $272,360
Earnings per start: $54,472
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99
Pedigree: City Zip – True Addiction, by Yes It’s True
Color: Bay
Running style: Stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: After a mediocre dirt debut, Snapper Sinclair made his next three starts on the turf before returning to the main track for his third-place finish in last month’s Lecomte Stakes, behind Risen Star entrants Instilled Regard and Principe Guilherme. Trainer Steve Asmussen won this race two years ago with recently retired Horse of the Year Gun Runner, and also won in 2008 with Pyro.
5. Instilled Regard (8-5)
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer
Owner: OXO Equine
Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $228,000
Earnings per start: $45,600
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 106
Pedigree: Arch – Enhancing, by Forestry
Color: Dark bay or brown
Running style: Stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: California-based Instilled Regard invaded Fair Grounds for last month’s Lecomte, and after winning that race he’s returned to New Orleans for this race. He hasn’t finished worse than third in five career starts and has shown improvement throughout his career, finishing a troubled second in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity in his 2-year-old finale before his Lecomte score. Lawrence Best’s OXO Equine paid a cool $1,050,000 for the colt at a 2-year-olds in training sale last year.
6. Supreme Aura (8-1)
Jockey: Joe Bravo
Trainer: Mike Stidham
Owner: Stallionaire Enterprises
Career record: 2 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $46,200
Earnings per start: $23,100
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 92
Pedigree: Candy Ride – Groton Circle, by Mr. Greeley
Color: Chestnut
Running style: Stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Supreme Aura is undefeated in two career starts, including his August debut at Delaware Park in which he “drew off impressively” according to the race chart, winning by 4 ¾ lengths. He was sidelined for a few months but returned to the races in January with a 3 ½ length win at Fair Grounds. Trainer Mike Stidham has never won this race but is currently tied for fourth in the trainer standings at the track.
7. Bravazo (8-1)
Jockey: Gary Stevens
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Owner: Calumet Farm
Career record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third
Career earnings: $186,528
Earnings per start: $31,088
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 104
Pedigree: Awesome Again – Tiz o’ Gold, by Cee’s Tizzy
Color: Dark bay or brown
Running style: Stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Bravazo broke his maiden at Churchill Downs last September and immediately jumped into the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, where he finished second at odds of 47-1. He added a third-place stakes finish to his record as a 2-year-old before making his sophomore debut a winning one at Oaklawn Park last month. Bravazo races for Hall of Fame trainer-jockey combo D. Wayne Lukas and Gary Stevens, who partnered with owner Calumet Farm to win the 2013 Preakness Stakes with Oxbow. Oxbow finished fourth in that year’s Risen Star. Interestingly, Oxbow and Bravazo have similar breeding: Both are by sire Awesome Again out of Cee’s Tizzy mares.
8. Kentucky Club (30-1)
Jockey: James Graham
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Owner: Calumet Farm
Career record: 6 starts – 1 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $22,040
Earnings per start: $3,673
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 84
Pedigree: Oxbow – Indiz, by A.P. Indy
Color: Gray or roan
Running style: Closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Kentucky Club is one of two Risen Star entrants for Calumet Farm and D. Wayne Lukas, the other being Bravazo. Kentucky Club didn’t win a race until his sixth career start, three weeks ago in a maiden claiming race. Calumet Farm often places its horses aggressively and Kentucky Club may be a bit outclassed here, although ambitious race selection saw three Calumet horses qualify for and run in last year’s Kentucky Derby. Kentucky Club is a son of Calumet’s Preakness winner Oxbow. Jockey James Graham won the 2013 Risen Star aboard 135.20-1 longshot Ive Struck a Nerve.
9. Principe Guilherme (7-2)
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Owner: Three Chimneys Farm
Career record: 3 starts – 2 wins – second – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $101,800
Earnings per start: $33,933
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100
Pedigree: Tapit – Aubby K, by Street Sense
Color: Bay
Running style: Pacesetter
Notable achievements and interesting facts: After setting the pace in his first two career starts, both winning efforts, Principe Guilherme found himself seventh of 13 halfway into his recent runner-up finish in the Lecomte Stakes. He advanced around the turn for home but wasn’t able to catch Instilled Regard. Principe Guilherme is by top sire Tapit and out of multiple graded stakes winner Aubby K, making him one of the best-bred horses in the race. Three Chimneys Farm co-owned 2016 Risen Star winner and eventual Horse of the Year Gun Runner, who like Principe Guilherme was trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.
10. Ebben (30-1)
Jockey: Gabriel Saez
Trainer: Steve Margolis
Owner: Craig Aguiar
Career record: 7 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $71,141
Earnings per start: $10,163
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 92
Pedigree: Trappe Shot – Please Be Discreet, by Discreet Cat
Color: Chestnut
Running style: Closer/stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Ebben is one of the most experienced horses entered here, having raced seven times in his career. He most recently finished sixth in the Lecomte last month, though he previously won an allowance at Churchill Downs to close his 2-year-old season in addition to a maiden win. The gelding is trained by Fair Grounds staple Steve Margolis, who has yet to win the Risen Star Stakes. Jockey Gabriel Saez won the race in 2009 aboard Friesan Fire.
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