In the first major points-bearing race in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star features a full field February 20 at Fair Grounds in an intriguing betting race.
The mile and one sixteenth event awards 50-20-10- and 5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the first four finishers and looks to be a completely wide open race with lukewarm 5/2 favorite in Airoforce. The Mark Casse trainee will be making his first start over a fast dirt surface if the New Orleans weather cooperates after proving to be a top-class turf horse last year. Airoforce also won the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club over a sloppy track against two rivals he will face again in the Risen Star.
Mo Tom (3/1) unleashed a powerful closing move to win the Grade 3 LeComte in his last start, but will surely find the waters deeper in the Risen Star. Trained by Tom Amoss, the slow-breaking son of Uncle Mo has won 3 of 5 starts, but will likely need plenty of early pace to flatter his late-running style. Jockey Corey Lanerie will be aboard from post 2.
Gun Runner (6/1) showed promise as a two year-old, winning his first two starts before finishing a deceptively good fourth in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes November 28 over a sloppy track. Although he was beaten a length and a half for third by Mo Tom, Gun Runner took a short lead at the head of the stretch before flattening out in a very productive effort. The Steve Asmussen trainee has worked well for his three year-old debut and has the tactical speed to allow jockey Florent Geroux to sit a comfortable trip from post 6.
The field is set for the $1 million Haskell, where Nyquist will be trying to re-stake his claim as the top three-year-old in the country.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $300,000 United Nations Stakes. Scheduled to be run at a mile and three-eighths on the turf, the Grade 1 event has drawn a field of ten colts and geldings.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, a key prep race for the Haskell Invitational (G1). The Grade 3 event will be contested at a mile and a sixteenth and has drawn a field of seven three-year-olds.
With five grade 1 races and a grade 2, the undercard for the June 11 Belmont stakes could be the best single day of racing on the calendar outside of the Breeders’ Cup.
Haskell Invitational Picks for Monmouth Sunday
29 July 2016The field is set for the $1 million Haskell, where Nyquist will be trying to re-stake his claim as the top three-year-old in the country....
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