No Trouble At All for Louisiana Derby Victor

Vicar's in Trouble coasted to victory in the $1-million Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
Vicar’s in Trouble took the New Orleans path to the Kentucky Derby with a front-running win in the $1-million Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
The dark bay or brown Into Mischief colt powered to the front out of the starting gate, led nine opponents through an uncontested opening half-mile in :47.86 and had plenty of stamina in reserve in the stretch to put away Risen Star Stakes winner Intense Holiday.
VICAR'S IN TROUBLE PULLS AWAY LATE

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Ridden by Rosie Napravnik, Vicar’s in Trouble completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.77 to win by 3 ½ lengths.
“You know he is a tiny horse but he’s got a great, big heart,” Napravnik said of Vicar’s in Trouble, who rebounded from a third-place finish in the Risen Star to post his third win in five starts.
Vicar’s in Trouble won the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds by 6 ¾ lengths in January and then finished 5 ½ length behind Intense Holiday in the Risen Star. He turned the tables on Intense Holiday in the Louisiana Derby to bank 100 points and climb into the top spot on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 120 total points. The leaderboard determines which 20 horses qualify for the first jewel of the Triple Crown.
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Intense Holiday was 1 ½ lengths clear of third-place finisher Commanding Curve as the 1.90-to-1 favorite. With 93 points on the leaderboard, Intense Holiday sits in fourth place and also has locked up a spot in the Kentucky Derby.
Intense Holiday’s Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith credited Napravnik for an outstanding ride aboard the winner in the Louisiana Derby.
“[Rosie Napravnik] rode a great race; a brilliant race actually,” he said. “It turned [the race] into a two-furlong sprint."
Mike Maker trains Vicar’s in Trouble for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who also race Spiral Stakes winner and Kentucky Derby hopeful We Miss Artie. The Ramseys purchased Louisiana-bred Vicar’s in Trouble at auction as a 2-year-old in training for $80,000. He is one of three winners from four starters out of the winning Vicar mare Vibrant.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
NAPRAVNIK CELEBRATES WITH OWNER KEN RAMSEY

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire