International Star Shoots for Third Straight in Louisiana Derby

International Star, pictured winning the Risen Star Stakes, aims for his third consecutive graded stakes tally in Saturday's Louisiana Derby. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
The Grade 2, $750,000 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds features International Star, winner of both local preps for this race – the Grade 3 LeComte Stakes and the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes. With 71 points already in the Road to the Kentucky Derby points system, a win and the 100 points that come with it would guarantee International Star a starting spot as well as a lot of attention on the first Saturday in May.
His biggest opponent appears to be the horse that finished second to him in both prep races, War Story. Mr. Z could be another contender, coming from Arkansas following two straight third-place efforts in stakes, including the Grade 3 Southwest. North American leading trainer Todd Pletcher saddles Stanford off a runner-up finish in the Islamorada Handicap (subsequently disqualified to sixth) while Risen Star third-place finisher Keen Ice could improve and be a stronger factor than he was five weeks ago.
International Star began his career in fine fashion with a 5 ½-length win last June, followed by two runner-up finishes in stakes. He then won the Grey Stakes in just the fourth start of his career but lost his next two races, his last two starts as a two-year-old. Returning as a more mature 3-year-old in January, International Star won the LeComte Stakes in spite of traffic trouble.
He then improved again, this time to a career-best 103 Equibase Speed Figure when winning the Risen Star Stakes last month at Fair Grounds. Jockey Miguel Mena may also be the key to the colt's recent success as he is a perfect two-for-two when in the saddle. International Star is a horse that doesn't need a fast pace to run at and with a pattern for further improvement in place is the one to beat in this year's Louisiana Derby.
Stanford is a lightly raced colt who has won two of four career starts. His first two races came last summer, followed by a six month layoff and a return to racing in February. Stanford won his 3-year-old debut sprinting and then stretched out to two-turns just three weeks ago in the Islamorada Handicap. Stanford led for the three-quarters of a mile in the race before tiring and finishing second. He was still five lengths in front of the third horse, but was disqualified for interference earlier in the race and placed sixth.
Having improved from an 89 speed figure following six months off to a 94 earlier this month, and with more improvement expected in his second two-turn race, Stanford should be considered the upset opportunist of note, particularly since he is conditioned by top trainer Pletcher.
War Story has done absolutely nothing wrong in four career starts, beginning with two straight wins including a two-turn win in his first route try at Fair Grounds last December. Unfortunately, he's run into International Star in his other two races, finishing second each time. Having improved from a 92 speed figure on December 28 to a 95 in the LeComte, and then to 101 in the Risen Star, there is little doubt War Story has all the physical and mental attributes necessary to be a strong factor in this race.
The rest of the field, with their best representative Equibase Speed Figures, is A Day in Paradise (88), Defondo (93), Fusaichi Flame (90), Keen Ice (98), Mr. Z (107) and St. Joe Bay (98). 
My Selections:
International Star
Stanford
War Story
$750,000, Grade 2 Louisiana DerbySaturday, Fair Grounds, Race 11 at 6:24 p.m. ET1 1/8 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

M-L

1

Stanford

Florent Geroux

Todd Pletcher

Stonestreet,M.Magnier,M.Tabor,D.Smith

5-1

2

Mr. Z

Kent Desormeaux

D. Wayne Lukas

Zayat Stables

4-1

3

Defondo

Brian Hernandez, Jr.

Dallas Stewart

West Point Thoroughbreds

12-1

4

Fusaichi Flame

Franciso Torres

Scott Gelner

Norman Stables

20-1

5

A Day in Paradise

Kerwin Clark

J. Larry Jones

Tommy G. Ligon

12-1

6

War Story

Joe Talamo

Tom Amoss

Loooch RacingStable, Glenn Ellis, Chris Dunn

4-1

7

Keen Ice

James Graham

Dale Romans

Donegal Racing

5-1

8

St. Joe Bay

Robby Albarado

Peter Miller

Altamira Rac. Stb. & David Al. Bernsen

10-1

9

International Star

Miguel Mena

Mike Maker

Ken and Sarah Ramsey

3-1