International Star draws outside for Risen Star

New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) – Lecomte Stakes winner International Star will break from the far outside post in Saturday’s $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.

The Risen Star is the final local prep for the 102nd running of the $750,000 Louisiana Derby on March 28. The winning 3-year-old earns 50 points toward starting in the Kentucky Derby on May 2.

Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, International Star will again be ridden by Miguel Mena in the 1 1/16-mile stakes with a field of 10 3-year-olds. The colt, trained by Mike Maker, won the Lecomte last month by 2 1/2 lengths as a 9-1 outsider over War Story.

“We expected a big race – maybe not that big – but he was coming into the race great,” Maker said about the winning effort.

International Star, a son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, has won three of seven starts for $320,979.

The 3-year-old won the Grey Stakes at Woodbine last October and earlier recorded seconds in Belmont Park’s Rockville Center Stakes and Saratoga’s With Anticipation on the turf. International Star was ninth, just 3 1/4 lengths off the winner, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.

Lecomte runner-up War Story will leave from post 6 with Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux getting the mount for the first time. The chestnut gelding, trained by Tom Amoss, was brought back to Fair Grounds after getting an outside post for Monday’s Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, which has now been rescheduled for Saturday, as well.

Owned by Loooch Racing Stable and Chris Dunn, War Story won his first two career starts last year at Churchill Downs and Fair Grounds. He was 5-1 for the Lecomte.

“He didn’t break well and was widest of all turning for home,” Amoss said about War Story’s Lecomte effort. “He came out good, though. I was pleased even though we didn’t win.”

War Story has earned $88,600.

Making his first start of the year in the Risen Star will be Godolphin Racing’s Imperia, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin. The colt will be ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith and break from post 5.

“I spoke with Jimmy Bell, Godolphin’s racing manager, and early on we decided that Fair Grounds would suit him well,” said McLaughlin. “At Gulfstream (Park) and in New York (at Aqueduct), you need to be forwardly placed. He’s a horse who likes to come from well back. We’re hoping he runs well so we can come back and run in the ($750,000) Louisiana Derby (Mar. 28).”

Imperia raced on turf for his initial three starts, getting second and first, before finishing 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. At Churchill Downs he finished second to El Kabeir in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on dirt.

“We hope he’s a dirt horse,” McLaughlin said. “He seems to like it, trains well on it and his race at Churchill was better than his previous races based on numbers. We hope he stays on it and never runs on grass again, but if he winds up being better on grass we will look at races like the Secretariat (Stakes) this summer.”

Imperia has banked $183,404.

Here is the field for the Risen Star in post position order: St. Joe Bay, Florent Geroux; Tiznow R J, Robby Albarado; Bluff, Kerwin Clark; J S Bach, Rafael Bejarano; Imperia, Mike Smith; War Story, Kent Desormeaux; Hero of Humor, Antioco Murgia; Keen Ice, James Graham; Big Big Easy, Richard Eramia and International Star, Miguel Mena.

Post time for the Risen Star will be approximately 6:24 p.m. ET.

Categorized in: Horses