Zandon Likely to Run in Risen Star at Fair Grounds

It looks like there will be a trip to New Orleans in Remsen Stakes (G2) runner-up Zandon 's future.

Trainer Chad Brown said owner Jeff Drown's 3-year-old Upstart   colt is being pointed to the Feb. 19 Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots over the Feb. 5 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

"The owner doesn't like the short wire at Gulfstream Park, which is speed-favoring," Brown said. "He has some good points and I can't argue with him. Shipping (to New Orleans) is the only angle which I don't love. Zandon is doing quite well and is ready to run now, so to wait until the 19th makes me feel a little more uncomfortable, but then again the Risen Star has a lot more qualifying points than the Holy Bull."

The Holy Bull, contested at 1 1/16 miles, has a purse of $250,000 and offers just 17 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) on a scale of 10-4-2-1 to the top four finishers.

Meanwhile, the 1 1/8-mile Risen Star is worth $400,000 and is the first of 16 Kentucky Derby Championship Series stakes, allocating 85 points on a 50-20-10-5 basis.

Zandon, who has not run since finishing second Dec. 4 in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen in his second start, already has four qualifying points for his nose loss to Mo Donegal . He has been working at the Payson Park Training Center in Florida in preparation for his 3-year-old debut.

Bred in Kentucky by Brereton Jones, Zandon entered the Remsen off a 1 1/2-length victory in his six-furlong maiden debut Oct. 9 at Belmont Park.