7.7.2002 Photo By: Four-Footed Fotos   Trainer Tom Amoss will saddle Walter L. New's Lone Star Sky, shown winning the Grade III Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs last summer, in the Jan. 25 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.

Most Feared Faces Wide Post, Full Field In Three Year Old Debut
By: John Gaver III

(Jan. 23, 2003) - Tom Durant's Most Feared, a Texas-bred gelding who was a troubled third in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (GII) at Churchill Downs in his final start as a two-year-old, will be the post-time favorite when eleven colts and gelding's go postward in the Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 25 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.

The one-mile Lecomte serves as one of two local preps for the $750,000 Louisiana Derby (GII), which will be run Mar. 9.

A dark bay or brown homebred son of Commanchero, Most Feared won last year's Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII) by three-lengths prior to finishing sixth, beaten nine lengths by Vindication, in the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) at Arlington Park on Oct. 26. He ended his two-year-old campaign with a gutsy third-place finish in the aforementioned Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill, where he was in tight quarters at the half-mile pole, in the nine-path in the stretch drive and still managed to finfish 2 ¼-lengths off eventual winner Soto and a length a quarter of the well-regarded sophomore colt Ten Cents A Shine.

Most Feared breezed and easy five furlongs in 1:03 1/5 on Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds for trainer Ronny Werner in his final work prior to the Lecomte. Prior to that move, Most Feared stepped off five-eighths at Fair Grounds in 1:00 2/5 on Jan. 9. He will break from post 10; Mark Guidry has the call.

Most Feared's primary competition figures to come from Walter L. New's Lone Star Sky, winner of the Bashford Manor Stakes (GIII) at Churchill Downs and the $200,000 Cradle Stakes at River Downs as a juvenile and another Texas-bred - Leo's Last Hurrahy - who won five races and over $300,000 in 2002.

Lone Star Sky will be making his first start since finishing 11th of 13, beaten 20 lengths, in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile for trainer Tom Amoss, who breezed his charge six furlongs in a "bullet" 1:13 3/5 at Fair Grounds on Jan. 12. The son of Conquistador Cielo will break from post-position six; Calvin Borel has the call.

Like Most Feared and Lone Star Sky, Leo's Last Hurrahy will be making his three-year-old debut in the Lecomte, though the Bob Young trainee had plenty of seasoning as a juvenile, winning a 4 ½-furlong race last April and a mile and a sixteenth race on Nov. 16. The Texas-bred also won three more times and finished second twice in races ranging from five furlongs on the main track to a mile on turf. Jockey Gerard Melancon has the assignment and the pair will break from post three.

The complete field for the Lecomte, in post-position order from the rail out with riders and weights is Catalissa, Frank Lovato, Jr., 120; Rapid Proof, Larry Melancon, 122; Leo's Last Hurrahy, Gerard Melancon, 122; Zydeco Affair (blinkers-on), Robby Albarado, 122; Call Me Lefty, Kirk LeBlanc, 122; Lone Star Sky, Calvin Borel, 122; Crowned King, Eddie Martin, Jr., 114; Winning Fans, John Jacinto, 114; Defrere's Vixen, Donnie Meche, 114; Most Feared, Mark Guidry, 122 and Saintly Look, Shane Sellers, 122.

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