"This race has some different variables from the Risen Star and by variables I mean horses coming into it that did not run their race in the Risen Star," said Tom Amoss, trainer of 6-1 fourth choice Ron the Greek. "We can get a lot more speed in there. I look at Lukas’ horse, Wow Wow Wow, and Dutrow’s horse, A Little Warm, and, of course, Gary Scherer’s Backtrack, and all of those three horses are going to add to the speed of this race.
"It’s not going to only help me, it’s going to help other closers like Steve Margolis’ horse," Amoss continued. "I think the pace is going to be quick and things will set up for the closers. It’s got me excited."
In late January, Ron the Greek, ridden by James Graham, won the Grade III Lecomte Stakes, the first of a three-race series at the Fair Grounds for 3-year-old Kentucky Derby hopefuls. In the Grade II Risen Star, he got stuck in the pack and finished sixth.
"Basically you just throw the race out the window. They crawled around there and the first four horses never changed position," said Mark Frostad, whose horse, Hotep, finished 10th in the Risen Star and drew the first post with 30-1 morning line odds in the Grade II Louisiana Derby.
"Six is fine. James knows what to do," Amoss said. "It’s a long run to the first turn at 1 1-8 here so I’m sure we can get a good position as far as that goes."
"He’s definitely built to go a distance," said Tim Poole, assistant to Fly Down trainer Nick Zito. "He’s got a nice, big stride on him. He’s a good-sized horse with a big stride and we’re very fortunate to have a horse like this. He’s performed up to expectation. We thought he was a nice colt and we’re just thankful he’s proved us right. Hopefully he’ll continue to prove us right."
A Little Warm, second in the Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park and ridden by David Cohen, has drawn the fifth post for the Louisiana Derby and was the early second choice at 4-1, followed by Risen Star fourth-place finisher Drosselmeyer in the 13th post at 5-1. Drosselmeyer, trained by Bill Mott, is slated to be ridden by Kent Desormeaux.
The rest of the field for the 97th Louisiana Derby includes Mission Impazible, also trained by Pletcher and drawing the second post with 8-1 morning line odds; The Program, trained by Bob Baffert in the fourth post at 10-1; Stay Put in the ninth post at 10-1; Island Soul in the eighth post at 20-1; Wow Wow Wow in the 10th post at 30-1; Mister Marti Gras in the 11th post at 30-1; and Backtrack in the 12th post at 30-1.
Stay Put, ridden by Jamie Theriot, was fifth in the Risen Star, but also won a two-turn allowance on Jan. 3 at the Fair Grounds, a result that left trainer Margolis confident about Saturday.
"It’s a competitive race," Margolis said, "but I think having two races over the track and having more distance in our corner, hopefully we can have a good showing."
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