Racking up 30 points towards the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve with wins in both the Gun Runner and the Lecomte (G3), Track Phantom streaks into Saturday’s $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots looking to beat 11 rivals and seal the deal on earning a spot in the 150th “Run for the Roses.”

The first prep race to offer 50-25-15-10-5 points to the top five finishers, the 3-year-old colts’ stamina will be tested, as the Risen Star asks the field of twelve to go 1 1/18 miles. Post time is 6:17 p.m (all times Central). With six stakes carded for Saturday’s “Louisiana Derby Preview Day,” the 52nd running of the Risen Star is the finale of the 14-race program, which begins at noon. The $300,000 Rachel Alexandra presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) goes as race 13 (5:48 p.m.) and will award Kentucky Oaks qualifying points (50-25-15-10-5) to the top five in that 3-year-old filly event.

Owned by L and N Racing, Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom, and Breeze Easy, forward-minded Track Phantom survived grueling opening fractions in the Gun Runner to prove best by 3 lengths. The Quality Road colt trained by Steve Asmussen took command of the Gun Runner field and

“It was great to see him win the race against a talented field, but especially with going as fast as they did early and showing enough quality to still respond,” Asmussen said ahead of Track Phantom’s next start in the Lecomte.

Looking to rebound for his defeat in the Gun Runner, Nash stood in Track Phantom’s way in the Lecomte. But the Asmussen-trainee engaged that foe in the first turn, sped clear, and never entertained the idea of letting any of his five foes menace him as he pulled away by three in the stretch and won by nearly the same margin with Joel Rosario in the irons. 

“I think the Lecomte was as easy on him as you could have wanted it to be, with him still getting something out of it,” Asmussen said.

Rosario will once again leg up on the 7-2 morning line favorite who drew post 11. 

Though Tack Phantom won the biggest race on “Road to the Derby Preview Day,” the fastest time at the 1 1/16 miles distance went to his stablemate, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Gandharvi and Brooke Smith’s Hall of Fame. In just his second race, the $1.4 million dollar purchase was tasked with stretching out and he passed with flying colors, beating seven maiden foes by over ten lengths, and stopping the clock almost a half second faster than Track Phantom. 

“He was ridden much more aggressively (in his maiden win) because he’s playing a little catch up on a horse like Track Phantom, but the ability is there,” Asmussen said.

Both of Asmussen’s Derby hopefuls are gifted with natural speed, and made 6-1 in the morning line, Hall of Fame will load to his stablemate’s inside, breaking from post 7 under Ricardo Santana Jr.

“You want a clean run to the first turn,” Asmussen said. “One mile and one-eighth gives us a little more room going into it. (I) want and expect them to break cleanly, establish some position, and just be allowed to show who they are.” 

Asmussen’s most recent top Derby prospects, Epicenter and Disarm, both raced through Fair Grounds’ Road to the Derby on their way to finishing in the top four on the first Saturday in May. Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Epicenter won this event in 2022, one of three Risen Star titles on North America’s all-time winningest trainer’s resume.

“It’s easy to compare what Track Phantom’s done with what Epicenter did two years before,” Asmussen said. “It is also very easy to compare Hall of Fame to what Disarm was last year, but with better-timing. We are extremely excited about (both of) them.”

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