Lecomte, Risen Star, Louisiana Derby, Kentucky Derby, Haskell: this Saturday's 76th running of the $150,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La. will be the sixth time both Mandaloun and Midnight Bourbon enter the starting gate as rivals. Mandaloun has bragging rights, winning or finishing in front of Midnight Bourbon in three out of five match-ups thus far.
The duo will be traveling 1 1/16 miles on Saturday, the same distance they ran in the 2021 Lecomte when facing one another for the first time. Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon was fresh off a three-month layoff and wired the field. Now it's the even-money morning line favorite Mandaloun's turn to come in fresh. His last start was July 17 in the Haskell (G1) when he dueled through the final furlong finishing a nose short of Hot Rod Charlie, but an impending DQ awarded Juddmonte's Mandaloun his fifth career win out of eight starts.
“He needed time off. He made that decision easy,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We stopped on him and gave him time. For horses to progress, whether it be from (age) two to three or three to four, they need a break. He's received his break and he's come back. Listen, I'm not going to tell you that he's working better than ever because he's always a very, very good work horse to begin with. I think anybody that watched him train up to the Kentucky Derby could believe the way he ran (second at 26-1), the way he was training. He's definitely working as well as he was leading up to the Derby, or the Haskell, so we're in a good spot with him. I think this is a race that makes a lot of sense as far as getting back racing and seeing how it goes.”
Mandaloun will break from post two with his sole-rider Florent Geroux on board. He'll recognize the horse to his outside but not the rider.
On the track where it all began, Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon has the neighboring spot in post three. Last seen setting the pace in November's Clark (G1) at Churchill Downs with jockey Joel Rosario on board, Midnight Bourbon ran well, only to be overtaken in the stretch by the classy Maxfield and Happy Saver. He gets a slight cut-back in distance to 1 1/16 miles for the Louisiana. As in the Clark, Rosario gets the call, his second on Midnight Bourbon who will break from the post three (6-5 ML).
This time, Midnight Bourbon has a new trick up his sleeve: blinkers.
“As good as he's been, I think there is more there,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “It doesn't look like he's finishing it (his races) off. He's not exhausted when he comes back. I think we can get a little more out of him. There is the possibility that it makes him more aggressive and that he gets in too big of a hurry. The Louisiana Stakes is the perfect time to try it.”
With a field of horses who have shown strong early pace, they'll have their hands full throughout. Starting on the rail: Chess Chief, Sprawl, Pirate's Punch, Warrant, and Spa City make up the field of seven.
Adele B Dilschneider and Claiborne Farms' Sprawl finished sixth last out in October's Lukas Classic (G3) at Churchill Downs, the race prior was his first graded stakes victory, leading most of the way in the West Virginia Governor (G3) at Mountaineer. Trainer Tom Drury Jr. brought him to Fair Grounds to ready him specifically for the Louisiana.
“That little horse fought some wars for us,” Drury said. “We've had this race in mind and we've worked backwards from it. After the Lukas Classic, we sent him to Robby Harris in Florida and gave him a little downtime. Ever since it's been like clockwork. He walked off the van (at Fair Grounds) doing good and he's been doing good ever since, but I'll be honest, I didn't anticipate the race coming up as tough as it has. That being said, Sprawl is a seasoned, older horse and we are going to take our best shot and see what happens.”
By City Zip, his pace-setting presence adds uncertainty to how the race will unfold. Fair Grounds' leading rider Colby Hernandez is on board from post four (10-1 ML).
“We are just going to let Colby ride his race,” Drury said. “I do think he's going to want to be forward, but I'd love to see him in a stalking-type position. I don't want to leave there shooting ducks trying to make the lead at all costs.”
Approximately half of Chess Chief's earnings have come from his five wins, each of them taking place at Fair Grounds. Possibly a horse for the course, but the Estate of James J Coleman Jr's 6-year-old has been ambitiously placed throughout his career, losing to Maxfield four times, Knicks Go, and other classy rivals. He's coming off a thrilling win in the $100,000 Tenacious on “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” in which he bested Happy American by a scant nose. He is scheduled to break from the rail with Reylu Gutierrez aboard (12-1 ML), although trainer Dallas Stewart has indicated that a run in the Pegasus World Cup the following Saturday is also on the table.
Finishing third last out in the Tenacious, Craig W. Dragner and Gulliver Racing's Pirate's Punch has not won any of his six races since his 2020 back-to-back graded stakes wins. Breaking from post five at morning line odds of 20-1, Corey Lanerie returns after taking him to the lead last out. The Grant Forster-trained 6-year-old gelding will have options to pass or press his half-brother Midnight Bourbon.
That's right, dam Catch the Moon and breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings must be proud.
The remainder of the field with post position, jockey/trainer and morning line odds is as follows: Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Warrant (post six, Brian Hernandez Jr/Brad Cox, 12-1 ML), the 2021 Oklahoma Derby (G3) winner makes his 4-year-old debut; and Maggi Moss' Spa City (post seven James Graham/Tim Amoss, 20-1 ML), who was claimed for $40,000 four starts back.
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