The Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series begins at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans on Saturday, Feb. 13. A field of 13 three-year-olds was entered in the $400,000, Grade II Risen Star, presented by Lamarque Ford. However, the morning line favorite Keepmeinmind has scratched and will run next in the Southwest Stakes on Feb. 20 at Oaklawn Park.
The Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs and is the third-oldest race track in the US. The track has been in operation since 1872. Horse players often turn to Twinspires, a leading online betting platform and home of the Kentucky Derby, named for the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs.
The Risen Star Stakes is the first race of the season to offer 85 points, with 50 qualifying points to the winner, essentially ensuring a spot in the starting gate at the 2021 Kentucky Derby scheduled for May 1. The 147th running of the Run for the Roses has a $3 million purse, and here are the horses entered for the Risen Star.
Risen Star field and odds
The Risen Star is 1 1/8 miles and carded as Race 13 at the Fair Grounds, with post time at 7:18 p.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 13. The top four finishers from the Jan. 16 Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds return for the Risen Star — Midnight Bourbon, Proxy, race favorite Mandaloun and distant fourth-place finisher Santa Cruiser. The top three finished within a length of each other.
1 – Starininmydreams, 12-1
- Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
- Trainer: Dallas Stewart
2 – Proxy, 8-1
- Jockey: John Velazquez
- Trainer: Michael Stidham
3 – Beep Beep, 20-1
- Jockey: Miguel Mina
- Trainer: Norm Casse
4 – Carillo, 15-1
- Jockey: James Graham
- Trainer: Tom Amoss
5 – Senor Buscador, 6-1
- Jockey: Luis Quinonez
- Trainer: Todd Fincher
6 – Midnight Bourbon, 6/1
- Jockey: Joe Talamo
- Trainer: Steve Asmussen
7 – O Besos, 12-1
- Jockey: Martin Pedroza
- Trainer: Greg Foley
8 – Sermononthemount, 50-1
- Jockey: Declan Carroll
- Trainer: Tim Dixon
9 – Defeater, 12-1
- Jockey: Diego Saenz
- Trainer: Tom Amoss
10 – Santa Cruiser, 15-1
- Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
- Trainer: Adam Beschizza
11 – Mandaloun, 9-2
- Jockey: Florent Geroux
- Trainer: Brad Cox
12 – Keepmeinmind, 3-1 (Scratched)
- Jockey: David Cohen
- Trainer: Robertino Diodoro
13 – Rightandjust, 15-1
- Jockey: Mitchell Murrill
- Trainer: Shane Wilson
Billed as “Louisiana Derby Preview Day,” the Saturday schedule at the Fair Grounds also features the $300,000 Grade II Rachel Alexandra Stakes for 3-year-old fillies racing 1 1/16 miles. That’s a Kentucky Oaks prep race and also the first Championship Series race offering 85 points (50-20-10-5), with 50 points to the winner. The favorites and top three contenders in the nine-horse field are Travel Column (2-1), Clairiere (5-2) and Charlie’s Penny (9-2).
A total of six stakes races highlight a big day of racing at the Fair Grounds on Saturday, Feb. 13. More than $750,000 is estimated to be in the Late Pick 4 pool.
