Shareholder Value Faces 11 in LeComte

A promising field of 12 will go to post in New Orleans' first Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (G1) prep of the year in the $200,000 LeComte Stakes (G3) Jan. 21 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Topping a six-stakes card, the mile and 70-yard event renews for the 72nd time with a wide-open field. 

Three horses with graded stakes form enter the sophomore challenge with experience edges, including Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence's Shareholder Value, a course and distance allowance winner on Dec. 26 for trainer Tom Amoss. Like last year's Amoss-trained winner Mo Tom, Shareholder Value is a son of Uncle Mo   with a serious turn of foot who looks to improve upon a loss in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) two back. Shaun Bridgmohan has the return call from post four. 

New York-bred Pat On the Back enters for trainer Ken McPeek's local string. Drawing in post 11, he exits a sixth in the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot (G3) Nov. 19 and was a two-time state-bred stakes winner in the fall. Dylan Davis, who was aboard for those two added-money victories and all three of his career tallies, has the mount. 

Whispering Oaks Farm's Tip Tap Tapizar looks to improve upon an eighth in the Delta Jackpot and return to the form that saw him win the Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park in September for trainer Steve Asmussen. The trainer also entered Winchell Thoroughbreds' Remington Springboard Mile Stakes runner-up Totality and maiden winner Untrapped. 

Two swift local sprint winners with stamina-laden pedigrees stretch out for well-respected connections in Bret Jones' Larry Jones-trained Running Mate and breeder-owner-trainer Dallas Stewart's Saint's Fan. The former, a son of Creative Cause  , was a disappointment when disqualified from second and placed third last time out in the Sugar Bowl Stakes as the 2-5 favorite, an effort that followed two six-furlong romps. The latter, by Tale of Ekati  , enters off a victory over fellow Louisiana-breds in the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes Dec. 10. 

William S. Farish and Lora Jean Kilroy's Guest Suite romped in a Churchill Downs one-turn mile allowance in late November last out for trainer Neil Howard. The son of Quality Road   broke his maiden three back going 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland and was third in the Oct. 30 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs .