This Saturday, Truthful Grounds will host the $400,000, Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes. Will probably be the primary race of the season to supply the victor 50 factors on the Highway to the Kentucky Derby, for horses hoping to make it into the beginning gate for the Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve, and can award a complete of 105 factors on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale.
The race was first held in 1973 because the Louisiana Derby Trial Stakes. In 1989, it was renamed in honor of Louisiana-based Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winner Risen Star. The race was prolonged from one mile and 40 yards to 1 1/16 miles in 1990, and additional elevated to its present distance of 1 ⅛ miles in 2020. In 2002, the race was awarded Grade 3 standing, which was bumped as much as Grade 2 standing in 2010.
Let’s have a look again at a number of the race’s greatest winners, together with its namesake.
MASTER DERBY (1975)
CAREER RECORD: 33 begins – 16 wins, 8 seconds, 4 thirds
CAREER EARNINGS: $698,624
In 1970, proprietor and breeder Robert Lehmann received the Kentucky Derby with homebred Mud Commander. Two years later, Lehmann bred a foal from Mud Commander’s first crop, named Grasp Derby. Lehmann died in 1974, however his widow, Verna, elected to carry on to the colt and race him of their Golden Likelihood Farm colours, and it proved a sensible transfer.
As a 2-year-old, Grasp Derby received two stakes races at Liberty Bell Park in Pennsylvania, and completed within the prime 4 in 4 extra. With aspirations of a second Kentucky Derby win on their minds, Verna Lehmann and coach Smiley Adams despatched their horse to Louisiana to start his 3-year-old season.
Whereas primarily based at Truthful Grounds, Grasp Derby received two stakes. After two defeats in six-furlong preps, Grasp Derby was the helpful winner of the Louisiana Derby Trial Stakes, defeating Colonel Energy by 2 ½ lengths beneath jockey Darrel McHargue. He adopted that up with a win at 4.30-1 odds within the Louisiana Derby, prevailing by a size as soon as once more over Colonel Energy.
Following a win within the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, Grasp Derby loomed as one of many favorites for the Kentucky Derby. Sadly for him, he completed fourth, well-beaten by favored Silly Pleasure.
Undeterred, Grasp Derby pressed on to the Preakness. Maybe spooked by his poor Derby effort, bettors dismissed grasp Derby at 23.40-1 odds, the third-biggest longshot within the area. Silly Pleasure was the comfy 6-5 favourite. Nonetheless, Grasp Derby turned the tables on Silly Pleasure that day, successful by one size in a time of 1:56 ⅖ for 1 3/16 miles.
RISEN STAR (1988)
CAREER RECORD: 11 begins – 8 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third
CAREER EARNINGS: $2,029,845
Risen Star was the best son of the legendary Secretariat, and the most effective Louisiana-based horses ever. He broke his maiden with a win within the Minstrel Stakes at Louisiana Downs in September 1987, and adopted it up with a distant second-place end behind eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champion Success Specific within the Sport of Kings Futurity.
For the ultimate begin of his 2-year-old marketing campaign, Risen Star was transferred from the barn of Rene Gebbia to that of his co-owner proprietor Louie Roussell III. After two sharp wins and a second-place end within the Lecomte Handicap, Risen Star was the 11-10 favourite for the Louisiana Derby Trial.
Breaking from submit 11, Shane Romero dropped Risen Star nicely off the tempo early on, ranking 14 lengths again on the half-mile pole. Nonetheless, he took full benefit of the lengthy stretch at Truthful Grounds. He rallied all the best way down the lane, surging for a one-length victory.
Following two extra stakes wins, Risen Star was given a 5.50-1 probability within the Kentucky Derby however sadly, he had a brutal journey. After racing large on each turns and shedding valuable floor, he rallied admirably within the stretch, however may solely handle third behind Successful Colours.
Risen Star bounced again in his subsequent two races. Within the Preakness Stakes, he loved a significantly better journey, and drew off to a 1 ¼-length win. As the favourite within the Belmont Stakes, he received in an awe-inspiring efficiency, prevailing by 14 ¾ lengths. His time of two:26 ⅖ was the quickest since his sire received in 2:24 14 years prior.
Whereas an damage prevented Risen Star from racing once more, his Preakness and Belmont performances left sufficient of an impression on voters that he received the Eclipse as champion 3-year-old male.
LAWYER RON (2006)
CAREER RECORD: 26 begins – 12 wins, 4 seconds, 4 thirds
CAREER EARNINGS: $2,790,008
It took a short while for Lawyer Ron to bloom; he didn’t break his maiden till his sixth begin. As soon as he received going, he was powerful to beat.
Lawyer Ron received the Grade 3 Risen Star Stakes beneath distinctive circumstances. Truthful Grounds suffered intensive harm from Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, and was unable to carry their ordinary winter meet. In consequence, the observe held an abbreviated meet at Louisiana Downs.
It was there that Lawyer Ron squared off towards six others because the 5-2 second alternative. He was coming in off quick relaxation, having received the Peninsula Gaming’s Diamond Jo Stakes at Evangeline Downs simply 15 days prior. That proved no downside. John McKee saved him simply off early chief Mark of Success, then pounced on him on the ultimate flip. From there, Lawyer Ron drew off to an 8 ¼-length win.
After wins within the Grade 3 Insurgent Stakes and the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, Lawyer Ron went to Louisville as the ten.20-1 sixth alternative within the Kentucky Derby. Though he disenchanted when 12th on Derby day, he nonetheless went on to a effective profession. As a 4-year-old, he received three graded stakes, together with the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes and the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes, each at Saratoga, and was named 2007 champion older male.
MUCHO MACHO MAN (2011)
CAREER RECORD: 25 begins – 9 wins, 5 seconds, 6 thirds
CAREER EARNINGS: $5,625,410
Kathy Ritvo despatched her prime Derby prospect, Mucho Macho Man, to the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes in February 2011, in hopes of revitalizing his aspirations. He had completed within the prime 4 in three stakes races, however hadn’t but received on. Bettors despatched him off as the three.60-1 third alternative within the area of ten.
Early on, Rajiv Maragh despatched Mucho Macho Man in the direction of the lead, ranking him simply behind early chief Decisive Second. Getting into the stretch, Mucho Macho Man pulled clear, and received by 1 ½ lengths.
Though he had a stable 3-year-old marketing campaign, together with a third-place end within the Kentucky Derby, it was as an older horse that Mucho Macho Synthetic his largest impression. As a 4-year-old, he received the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap and the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap. He concluded that season with a second place-finish within the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Basic behind Fort Larned.
At age 5 in 2013, Mucho Macho Man avenged his Basic defeat from a yr prior. He held off Will Take Cost by a nostril, whereas ending 3 ½ lengths away from fourth-place Fort Larned.
GUN RUNNER (2016)
CAREER RECORDS: 19 begins – 12 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds
CAREER EARNINGS: $15,988,500
Off a fourth-place end within the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes to conclude his 2-year-old season, Gun Runner was given a 5.10-1 probability within the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes. He was spectacular in his first two races, however the disappointing effort in his first stakes strive left some bettors chilly.
They didn’t need to be involved. Florent Geroux saved Gun Runner in a very good stalking spot a lot of the approach, then angled him off the rail as they turned for dwelling. He made the lead on the eighth pole, then held off the rally of longshot Forevamo for a half-length victory.
Gun Runner went on to win three extra graded stakes that yr, and completed third within the Kentucky Derby. Nonetheless, he really blossomed as a 4-year-old. In 2017, he received 5 graded stakes races, together with 4 Grade 1s in a row. The yr culminated with a front-running win within the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Basic, which sealed a near-unanimous Horse of the 12 months voting tally on the Eclipse Awards.
EPICENTER (2022)
CAREER RECORD: 11 begins – 6 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds
CAREER EARNINGS: $2,940,639
Epicenter had begun his street to the Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve with a formidable victory within the Gun Runner Stakes at Truthful Grounds on Dec. 26, 2021, however then misplaced his race previous to the Risen Star when second by a nostril within the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Truthful Grounds on Jan. 22, 2022.
Epicenter bounced again in an enormous approach within the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes Offered by Lamarque Ford on Feb. 19. He set the early tempo and simply saved going to cross the road 2 3/4 lengths in entrance. He earned 50 Highway to the Kentucky Derby qualifying factors with that win.
Epicenter later went off as the favourite within the Kentucky Derby on Could 7. He rated off a quick tempo and struck the entrance on the prime of the stretch and regarded primed to offer his coach Steve Asmussen his first-ever Kentucky Derby win till longshot Wealthy Strike got here up the within and pulled off a stunning upset. Epicenter completed second. Two weeks later, Epicenter was despatched off because the heavy favourite within the Preakness within the center jewel of the Triple Crown however once more needed to settle for second, this time crushed by Early Voting.
Later within the season, Epicenter lastly received his headline victory when he received the $1.25 million Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on August 27. The “Mid-Summer season Derby” had been the purpose for Epicenter since his Triple Crown disappointments, and this time Epicenter got here via to earn the primary Grade 1 win of his profession. Ridden to perfection by common jockey Joel Rosario, Epicenter stalked the tempo set by Cyberknife and Ain’t Life Grand and was by no means greater than three lengths off the tempo earlier than making his transfer on the flip and overtaking Cyberknife on the prime of the stretch. Epicenter prolonged his lead via the lane and received beneath wraps on the end by a cushty 5 1/4-length margin in a ultimate time of two:00.72 for the 1 1/4 miles.
