Spendthrift Farm's Kingsbarns ran his record to a perfect three-for-three with a front-running 3 1/2-length victory under Flavien Prat in Saturday's Grade 2, $1-million TwinSpires Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La. The Uncle Mo colt gave trainer Todd Pletcher a record fifth Louisiana Derby win while earning 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby.
Disarm, ridden by Joel Rosario, finished second for trainer Steve Asmussen, who was tied with Pletcher for most Louisiana Derby wins going into this year's renewal. Jace's Road finished another 2 3/4 lengths back in third for trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux, with Shopper's Revenge and Ricardo Santana Jr. fourth, and Sun Thunder and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. fifth in the field of a dozen 3-year-olds.
The second through fifth-place finishers, respectively, received 40-30-20-10 Derby qualifying points.
Instant Coffee, the 3-2 favorite and one of three starters for trainer Cox (Jace's Road and Tapit's Conquest were the others), finished sixth after rallying extremely wide from off the pace. He was followed by Tapit's Conquest, Cagliostro, Baseline Beater, Denington, Curly Jack and Singer Ruler.
Kingsbarn, named for a Scottish golf links, covered 1 3/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:57.33 and paid $11 to win as the second betting choice.
Bred in Kentucky by Parks Investment Group, Kingsbarns was an $800,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale of 2-year-olds in training at Gulfstream Park. The colt, who breezed a quarter mile in :20 3/5, was consigned by Tom McCrocklin, who purchased Kingsbarns on behalf of Champion Equine as a yearling for $250,000 at the previous year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale from Paramount Sales.
Kingsbarns is the second foal out of the Tapit mare, Lady Tapit, who won one race and was placed in a Grade 3 stakes at Santa Anita.
Prat was the third rider for Kingbarns in as many starts. When the colt debuted in a one-mile maiden race at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 14, Luis Saez was in the irons for the 1 3/4-length win from just off the pace. Next out in a mile and 40 yard Tampa Bay Downs allowance race on Feb. 12 that Kingsbarns won by 7 3/4 lengths , Antonio Gallardo was aboard.
Saez opted for Instant Coffee, who he'd ridden to victories last November in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs and the G3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds on Jan. 21. Prat flew in from California for the day, also winning the G2 New Orleans Classic aboard West Will Power for Cox earlier in the day.
Seizing the opportunity in a field devoid of much early speed, Prat sent Kingsbarns to the lead from the outset, going the opening quarter mile in :24.71 under pressure from Jace's Road, then relaxed into a comfortable gallop while maintaining a one length lead over that rival through a half-mile in :49.60 and six furlongs in 1:14.69.
By the time the field reached the top of the stretch, the mile clocked in 1:39.13, Kingsbarns had opened up by 4 1/2 lengths and cruised to the wire without being seriously threatened.
The Louisiana Derby has been won in recent years by Epicenter (2022 3-year-old male champion), Hot Rod Charlie (2021, later winner of the G1 Pennsylvania Derby), Girvin (2017, later winner of the G1 Haskell) and Gun Runner (2016 winner and Horse of the Year in 2017). The last Louisiana Derby winner to also win the Kentucky Derby was Grindstone in 1996.
The post Kingsbarns Takes Louisiana Derby Field Wire To Wire To Remain Undefeated appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
