Lecomte Stakes Study Guide

Jan 18, 2019 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

An overflow field of 15 will travel a mile and 70 yards in the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds on Saturday. The Road to the Kentucky Derby points event boasts a competitive field of sophomore prospects in what appears to be a wide-open endeavor.

Here's the field:

Wicked Indeed Career Racing Stats

2 Starts
1 Wins
0 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $29,330

Top BRIS Speed rating (81) earned finishing third in an allowance race

Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Winchell Thoroughbreds (KY)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

Sire: Tapit
Dam: Wicked Deed
Color: Gray/Roan

Homebred was a game winner on debut before finishing an even third in an allowance race on this surface last out. The well-bred colt gets a cozy post inside in the sizable field and surely has room for improvement making just his third lifetime performance.

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Malpais Career Racing Stats

2 Starts
1 Wins
0 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $32,200

Top BRIS Speed rating (85) earned in maiden win

Owner: Richard and Connie Snyder et al's
Breeder: Richard and Connie Snyder (KY)
Trainer: Joe Sharp
Jockey: Adam Beschizza

Sire: Hard Spun
Dam: D' Elegance
Color: Dark Bay

Strong maiden winner made good with an open-length victory in his local debut. This contender has speed near the rail in advance of his route debut and the colt could be leading the pack early on.

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Tackett Career Racing Stats

3 Starts
2 Wins
0 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $54,800

Top BRIS Speed rating (88) earned in allowance tally

Owner: Darrs Inc.
Breeder: David Ross (WV)
Trainer: Michael Stidham
Jockey: Joe Bravo

Sire: Limehouse
Dam: Unostrike
Color: Chestnut

Gelding is two-for-two on the Fair Grounds course in preparation of his stakes debut in this spot. This contender is proven going long with a pair of route races under his belt. The West Virginia-bred will be forwardly placed early on.

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Mr. Money Career Racing Stats

4 Starts
1 Wins
2 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $150,400

Top BRIS Speed rating (92) earned running fourth in Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1)

Owner: Allied Racing Stable LLC
Breeder: Spruce Lane Farm (KY)
Trainer: Bret Calhoun
Jockey: Gabriel Saez

Sire: Goldencents
Dam: Plenty O'Toole
Color: Bay

Sophomore makes his seasonal debut coming off a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) most recently. The improving sort has trained swiftly in the interim and has to be considered an obvious contender in the big field.

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Night Ops Career Racing Stats

5 Starts
0 Wins
2 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $31,035

Top BRIS Speed rating (87) earned running second in maiden race

Owner: Big Chief Racing et al's
Breeder: Aschinger Bloodstock Holdings LLC (KY)
Trainer: Keith Desormeaux
Jockey: Edgar Morales

Sire: Warrior's Reward
Dam: Bear All
Color: Bay

Late runner enters this as a maiden but ran his best when a sharp second at Churchill Downs in his 2018 finale. The longshot has a nice turn of foot and should receive a healthy pace in which to rally.

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Hog Creek Hustle Career Racing Stats

4 Starts
2 Wins
0 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $81,300

Top BRIS Speed rating (93) awarded for allowance/optional claiming victory

Owner: Something Special Racing LLC
Breeder: Hargus and Sandra Sexton & Silver Fern Farm LLC (KY)
Trainer: Vickie Foley
Jockey: Florent Geroux

Sire: Overanalyze
Dam: Candy Fortune
Color: Dark Bay

Colt has failed to break through from two stakes races to date, but he ran a solid third in the Sugar Bowl Stakes in his first go around this oval. The closing type will have to prove that he can excel at route racing, though.

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Roiland Career Racing Stats

4 Starts
2 Wins
1 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $77,660

Top BRIS Speed rating (88) earned finishing fifth in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2)

Owner: James and Mary Durlacher
Breeder: James and Mary Durlacher (KY)
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Jockey: James Graham

Sire: Successful Appeal
Dam: Anabranch
Color: Bay

Steadily improving sophomore passed a lot of runners when fifth in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) in his 2018 finale. The Kentucky-bred will be equipped with blinkers and could be a major player with improvement in this one.

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War of Will Career Racing Stats

5 Starts
1 Wins
1 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $131,569

Top BRIS Speed rating (94) earned in maiden tally

Owner: Gary Barber
Breeder: Flaxman Holdings Limited (KY)
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Sire: War Front
Dam: Visions of Clarity
Color: Bay

Talented colt looked the part in his dirt debut when dominating maidens at Churchill Downs. This fine prospect had very good form at two and will be a major factor in this one with any kind of forward move.

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Mo Speed Career Racing Stats

3 Starts
2 Wins
0 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $56,851

Top BRIS Speed rating (83) earned in maiden win

Owner: Gary Barber and John Oxley
Breeder: Twin Hopes Farm LLC (KY)
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Jerome Lermyte

Sire: Uncle Mo
Dam: Bootery
Color: Bay

This $500,000 yearling comes in with tallies in two races in succession, including an allowance tilt on this dirt surface most recently. The half-brother to Grade 2-scoring millionaire Neck 'n Neck earned a hefty 104 BRIS Late Pace figure last out and shows two positive morning drills since.

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Chase the Ghost Career Racing Stats

5 Starts
1 Wins
2 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $43,077

Top BRIS Speed rating (85) earned in maiden victory

Owner: Holy Cow Stable LLC
Breeder: Himanshu Shukla (KY)
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Jockey: Corey Lanerie

Sire: Ghostzapper
Dam: Unbridled Wee
Color: Dark Bay

Kentucky-bred ran down a clear one to graduate here last month and takes the big class hike to graded foes in this spot. The colt has shown improvement since removing blinkers, but he needs to get faster in his second route experience to make the frame in this one.

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Tight Ten Career Racing Stats

4 Starts
1 Wins
2 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $98,500

Top BRIS Speed rating (92) earned in Saratoga Special (G2)

Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC
Breeder: Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.

Sire: Tapit
Dam: Devils Humor
Color: Bay

Twice graded-placed colt never picked up his feet in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) in his 2018 finale, but his prior form makes him a contender in this field. This speedy sort shows seven morning drills in advance of his seasonal bow and will be forwardly placed from the wide post slot. The colt is a sure bounce-back candidate.

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Plus Que Parfait Career Racing Stats

4 Starts
1 Wins
1 Place
2 Show
Total Career Earnings: $86,400

Top BRIS Speed rating (94) earned for second in Kentucky Jockey Club (G2)

Owner: Imperial Racing LLC
Breeder: Calloway Stables LLC (KY)
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Jockey: Julien Leparoux

Sire: Point of Entry
Dam: Belvedera
Color: Chestnut

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) runner-up showed his talent and versatility when rallying in fine fashion following a slow break at Churchill Downs. The $135,000 yearling purchase has a fine foundation with four route races as a juvenile, and the ridgling put in a trio of local morning drills to get familiar with his surroundings.

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Manny Wah Career Racing Stats

7 Starts
2 Wins
2 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $99,225

Top BRIS Speed rating (95) earned for second in Sugar Bowl Stakes

Owner: Susan Moulton
Breeder: Martha Jane Mulholland and Modo Tesio Equine LLC (KY)
Trainer: Wayne Catalano
Jockey: Channing Hill

Sire: Will Take Charge
Dam: Battlefield Angel
Color: Chestnut

Consistent colt finished a closing second in the Sugar Bowl Stakes last out in his first start sporting blinkers. The capable Kentucky-bred had an ideal prep run for this contest and the colt figures if able to overcome the post draw.

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Admire Career Racing Stats

2 Starts
1 Wins
0 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $48,060

Top BRIS Speed rating (87) earned in maiden win

Owner: Albaugh Family Stables LLC
Breeder: Brereton C. Jones (KY)
Trainer: Dale Romans
Jockey: Robby Albarado

Sire: Cairo Prince
Dam: Visavis
Color: Bay

Expensive yearling buy was a smart maiden graduate going 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs last out and jumps up with graded competition here. The colt has trained forwardly since but gets hooked with the widest post in the cast.

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West Texas Career Racing Stats

1 Starts
1 Wins
0 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $12,000

Top BRIS Speed rating (86) earned in debut maiden score

Owner: Ed Wright Cattle Co. Inc. and Miles Childers
Breeder: Ed Wright Cattle Co. Inc. and Miles Childers (KY)
Trainer: Bernie Flint
Jockey: Marcelino Pedroza

Sire: Flat Out
Dam: Landslide Sue
Color: Chestnut

Second-timer would need a defection to draw into the field. The gelding led throughout in a facile maiden claiming conquer on debut here, but the Kentucky-bred would be a longshot if he gets in with the massive class rise.