By Christie DeBernardis
The top three finishers from the Fair Grounds' GIII Lecomte S. Jan. 13 will face off once again in NOLA, as well as meet a host of intriguing new faces, as they take their next steps down the GI Kentucky Derby trail in Saturday's GII Risen Star S. Lecomte victor Instilled Regard (Arch) ships back in from California for Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer. Following his third-out graduation with a close third in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 9, the $1.05 million OBSMAR buy powered clear to a decisive 3 3/4-length score last time over this strip.
“TDN Rising Star” Principe Guilherme (Tapit), who won his first two starts by a combined 18 lengths, checked in second in the Lecomte after breaking from post 12 and traveling wide throughout. It was another four lengths back to Snapper Sinclair (City Zip), who won a stakes race on the turf at Kentucky Downs last fall.
The fresh faces in this race include a pair of unbeaten sophomores in Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy) and Supreme Aura (Candy Ride {Arg}). Graduating by an ultra-impressive 8 3/4 lengths when unveiled in a seven-furlong test at Gulfstream Dec. 3, the WinStar Farm homebred earned the “TDN Rising Star” nod with a 3/4-length victory when stretched to 1 1/16 miles next out in Hallandale Jan. 11. He enters this test off a five-panel bullet in 1:01 flat at trainer Todd Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base Feb. 10. Nobly Indy is from the first crop of GI Florida Derby hero Take Charge Indy, who has been on a bit of a hot streak lately with GIII Forward Gal S. winner Take Charge Paula and Suncoast S. heroine C.S. Incharge.
“We were just looking for a logical prep timing wise,” Pletcher said. “He's been doing really well and came out of last race well. There are essentially options every weekend, but we feel like this is a good spot for him. He's shown a tremendous amount of talent not only in the mornings, but in both of his races. He's a horse with a pedigree that suggests he'll handle longer distances.”
Fair Grounds regular Mike Stidham saddles the other runner with a perfect record on the line in Supreme Aura. A debut winner going six furlongs at Delaware Aug. 9, the chestnut scored by 3 1/2 lengths sprinting over this strip Jan. 5 and is trying two turns for the first time Saturday.
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