Louisiana Derby Could Attract Top Three From Risen Star
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Photo: Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir
Mandaloun defeats Proxy in the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course
The top three finishers from the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) and Rachel Alexandra Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots are likely to renew acquaintances on the March 20 card at the New Orleans track, according to their respective connections.
Should they all return, Juddmonte Farms' Mandaloun, Godolphin's Proxy, and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon—the respective 1-2-3 finishers of the Risen Star—would meet for the third straight race in the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2). Midnight Bourbon won the Jan. 16 Lecomte Stakes (G3), in which Proxy was second and Mandaloun third.
Mandaloun trainer Brad Cox said: "The logical spot would be back here at the Fair Grounds on the 20th of March. We have not confirmed that, but we'll let the horse tell us over the next few weeks. I thought he really stepped up and showed he can get the mile and an eighth and beyond. I feel like he's a horse who is moving forward in every start and hopefully the best is yet to come."
Proxy is trained by Michael Stidham, and Steve Asmussen conditions Midnight Bourbon.
The respective Rachel Alexandra top three—Stonestreet Stables' Clairiere, OXO Equine's Travel Column, and Brad King, Jim Cone, Scott Bryant, Stan Kirby, and Suzanne Kirby's Moon Swag—could come back in the TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Travel Column and Clairiere were first and second, respectively, in the Nov. 28 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. Asmussen trains Clairiere and Travel Column is in the Cox stable. Moon Swag, also third in the Jan. 16 Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds, is under the care of Brendan Walsh.
The Louisiana Derby and Fair Grounds Oaks will award qualifying points on a 100-40-20-10 scale toward starting spots in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), respectively.
On the Risen Star undercard Godolphin's handicap star Maxfield, also trained by Walsh, remained undefeated in five career starts by taking the Mineshaft Stakes (G3). The 4-year-old son of Street Sense also won the Dec. 19 Tenacious Stakes during the Fair Grounds meet. The recent back-to-back wins could prompt connections to consider starting Maxfield in the March 27 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) at Meydan.
"He's fresh and the race didn't take much out of him at all," Walsh said. "There's a lot of thoughts going on in my mind and I'll talk to the guys at Godolphin and we'll go from there."