2025 Lecomte Stakes at a Glance

Racing
Lecomte Stakes Fair Grounds Kentucky Derby Innovator Maximum Promise Admiral Dennis Magnitude Optical Golden Afternoon Calling Card Tough Catch Dapper Moon Mobetterthangood Disco Time Jolly Samurai Built Seattle Road
Horses vie for position after leaving the starting gate at Fair Grounds. (Eclipse Sportswire)

The Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve gets a tad more important Saturday as the Lecomte Stakes ushers in a slate of preps worth a total of 42 qualifying points. The first five finishers in the two-turn test at Fair Grounds will receive 20-10-6-4-2 points in descending order. That’s a bump from the 10-5-3-2-1 points previously awarded and perhaps a main reason why a field of 14 turned out for the Lecomte.

lecomte stakes

Racetrack: Fair Grounds, New Orleans, La.

Date: Jan. 18

Purse: $250,000

Distance: 1 1/16 miles

Race: 12

Post Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

Notable winners: Midnight Bourbon (2021), War of Will (2019), Oxbow (2013), Ron the Greek (2010), Hard Spun (2007), Dixieland Heat (1993), Linkage (1982), No Le Hace (1972). 

First held: 1943

1. Innovator (10-1): Needed seven tries to break his maiden, but does have stakes experience. Figures to show speed from the rail and his best try will be competitive in this field. Looks like a D. Wayne Lukas-trained 3-year-old who has a license to get better.

JOCKEY: Jaime Torres;  TRAINER: D. Wayne Lukas

2. Maximum Promise (10-1): Won by a pole in an August maiden race at Ellis Park. Works since then are fine, but he probably will need this race to fire his best shot.

JOCKEY: Brian J. Hernandez Jr.; TRAINER: Ken McPeek

3. Admiral Dennis (8-1): Was a big disappointment as the 4-5 favorite in the Gun Runner Stakes here at Fair Grounds, finishing a very distant fourth. Worked OK for a top barn after that flop so he could merit a second chance.

JOCKEY: Joel Rosario; TRAINER: Brad Cox

4. Magnitude (6-1): Chased the pace in the Gun Runner and lost by nearly seven lengths. Did work quickly for this try but will have to take a big step forward after his last race.

JOCKEY: Jose Ortiz; TRAINER: Steve Asmussen

5. Optical (20-1): Comes off a game starter allowance winner at Churchill Downs and has been working quickly. Speed figures are on the slow side so this will be an acid test for him.

JOCKEY: James Graham;  TRAINER: Keith Desormeaux

6. Golden Afternoon (20-1): Hard to read. This will be his first dirt race after three good turf races. Has the pedigree for dirt though his speed figures are nothing special. Could be worth a look based on the odds.

JOCKEY: Axel Concepcion; TRAINER: Nicholas Vaccarezza

7. Calling Card (12-1): Posted a big win two starts back and then bounced off it. If he can return to the level of his maiden win, he’ll be a main factor here.

JOCKEY: Frankie Dettori; TRAINER: Mike Maker

8. Tough Catch (10-1): Has been doing great in sprints, but has not been competitive beyond 6 ½ furlongs. Should be part of the early pace but the distance is a big question mark.

JOCKEY: Luis Saez; TRAINER: Dallas Stewart

9. Dapper Moon (12-1): Was competitive in some of the top 2-year-old stakes, finishing fourth in a trio of graded two-turn stakes. This should tell how much he has advanced at 3. Seems a logical contender.

JOCKEY: Edgar Morales; TRAINER: Dallas Stewart

Disco Time (Coady Media)

10. Mobetterthangood (20-1): Was visually impressive winning his Saratoga sprint debut, but the time came back slow. Not much to go on since he hasn’t raced since September, so let the odds determine if there’s value. Would think he may need the race.

JOCKEY: Colby Hernandez; TRAINER: Ken McPeek

11. Disco Time (9-2): Lots of eyes will be focused on him. Unbeaten in two starts at Churchill Downs and makes his stakes debut here for an outfit that excels in Triple Crown preps. Will be a main threat with continued improvement.

JOCKEY: Florent Geroux; TRAINER: Brad Cox

12. Jolly Samurai (20-1): Failed to fire while racing wide in the Remington Park Springboard Mile. Faces a similar test here. We’ll pass.

JOCKEY: Rene Diaz; TRAINER: Danny Pish

13. Built (3-1): Romped in the Gun Runner here at the same 1 1/16-mile distance. Could bounce off that big effort and the post means he’ll have to motor early to avoid getting caught wide. Still, his last try stamps him a main contender.

JOCKEY: Jareth Loveberry; TRAINER: Wayne Catalano

14. Seattle Road (20-1): Late runner posted a narrow maiden win in his fourth try. Time was slow and likely to race wide from this post.

JOCKEY: Marcelino Pedroza Jr.; TRAINER: Tom Amoss

THE PICK: Disco Time

LIVE LONGSHOT: Calling Card

SUPERFECTA: 11-13-1-7

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