Study Guide: 2024 Lecomte Stakes
Jan 18, 2024
Track Phantom wins the Gun Runner S. (Photo by Hodges Photography)
The Road to the Kentucky Derby heats up on Saturday with the running of the $200,000 Lecomte S. (G3) at Fair Grounds. Following a bevy of qualifiers worth 10-5-3-2-1 points to the top five finishers, the 1 1/16-mile Lecomte doubles the stakes to 20-10-6-4-2.
Eight horses have been entered in the 2024 Lecomte, but a couple are expected to scratch. Let’s meet the field:
Next Level -- SCR
Start(s): 6
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 1
Owner: Don’t Tell My Wife Stables
Breeder: White Fox Farm
Trainer: Keith Desormeaux
Jockey: David Cohen
Top Speed Rating: (89) when finishing third in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at Del Mar.
Total Earnings: $87,100
Sire: Vino Rosso
Dam: Devious d’Oro
Color: Bay
Note that Next Level will reportedly scratch, according to Daily Racing Form. Next Level showed enough talent to run third in the 2023 Del Mar Futurity (G1), but after dueling for the lead in the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds last month, he gave way to finish last out of seven.
Nash
Nash (Photo by Coady Photography)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 1
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Top Speed Rating: (97) when breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $97,500
Sire: Medaglia d’Oro
Dam: Sara Louise
Color: Bay
Nash was terrific in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Churchill Downs last fall, leading all the way to win by 10 1/4 lengths with a 97 Brisnet Speed rating that tops the Lecomte field. But the Brad Cox trainee subsequently came down to earth in the Gun Runner, dropping off the early pace and unleashing a midrace challenge before flattening out to finish third behind Track Phantom. There isn’t much pace in the Lecomte field, so Nash should be able to stick closer to the early lead and possibly bounce back to peak form. It’s worth noting hot jockey Florent Geroux is sticking with Nash for the Lecomte, and Geroux and Cox have teamed up to win at a 37% rate over the last two months.
Tizzy Indy
Tizzy Indy (Photo by Coady Photography)
Start(s): 6
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 1
Owner: Calumet Farm
Breeder: Calumet Farm
Trainer: Keith Desormeaux
Jockey: James Graham
Top Speed Rating: (78) when breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $49,750
Sire: Take Charge Indy
Dam: Tizzy Fever
Color: Dark bay/brown
Tizzy Indy has shown versatility competing on both dirt and turf, but he’s been facing easier competition than he’ll encounter on Saturday. His career-best 78 Brisnet Speed rating indicates Tizzy Indy needs a step forward to factor in his stakes debut.
Can Group
Can Group (Photo by Coady Photography)
Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 2
Owner: D. J. Stable and Cash Is King
Breeder: Wynnstay and H. Allen Poindexter
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Jareth Loveberry
Top Speed Rating: (91) when finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Santa Anita.
Total Earnings: $357,013
Sire: Good Samaritan
Dam: Blue Gallina
Color: Bay
Can Group has shown a high level of form on turf, winning the Bourbon (G2) and finishing fourth against international competition in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). But can he translate that turf form to dirt at Fair Grounds? It’s not out of the question; in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Ellis Park last summer, Can Group finished third behind future Champagne (G1) winner Timberlake and eventual Iroquois (G3) winner West Saratoga, two prominent names on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Ethan Energy
Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Stonestreet Stables
Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Luis Saez
Top Speed Rating: (89) when breaking his maiden at Fair Grounds.
Total Earnings: $34,250
Sire: Uncle Mo
Dam: Sass and Class
Color: Bay
The second Brad Cox trainee in this field is Ethan Energy, who rallied strongly to win a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Fair Grounds last month by 5 1/4 lengths. He’s not the fastest Lecomte entrant from a Brisnet Speed rating perspective, but Ethan Energy is progressing in the right direction and can’t be counted out of the mix for a top-three finish.
Lat Long
Lat Long at Oaklawn Park (Photo by Coady Photography)
Start(s): 5
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 3
Owner: Walking L Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Town and Country Horse Farms
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
Top Speed Rating: (88) when breaking his maiden at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $123,750
Sire: Liam’s Map
Dam: Amen Sista
Color: Dark bay/brown
Lat Long needed five starts to break his maiden, but along the way he squared off against talented horses like Remsen (G2) winner Dornoch and Gun Runner winner Track Phantom. His maiden victory racing 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park came at the expense of next-out winner Common Defense, so Lat Long has a chance to pick up Kentucky Derby qualification points this Saturday.
Track Phantom
Track Phantom wins the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds (Photo by Hodges Photography)
Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 1
Owner: L and N Racing, Clark O. Brewster, Jerry Caroom, and Breeze Easy
Breeder: Breeze Easy
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Top Speed Rating: (94) when winning the Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds.
Total Earnings: $165,000
Sire: Quality Road
Dam: Miss Sunset
Color: Bay
After trouncing Lat Long by 4 1/4 lengths in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, Track Phantom survived a speed duel with Next Level to win the Gun Runner by 1 1/4 lengths. Having already gotten the better of Nash on one occasion, Track Phantom is shaping up as the horse to beat in the Lecomte. There’s a good chance Track Phantom will shake loose on an uncontested lead this Saturday, setting the stage for a third straight victory.
Awesome Road -- SCR
Awesome Road wins at Ellis Park 2023
(Photo by Coady Photography/Ellis Park)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Albaugh Family Stables and Donegal Racing
Breeder: Claiborne Farm
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Axel Concepcion
Top Speed Rating: (90) when winning his debut at Ellis Park.
Total Earnings: $59,808
Sire: Quality Road
Dam: Orate
Color: Bay
The third and final Brad Cox trainee in the Lecomte, Awesome Road, is reportedly going to scratch. He broke his maiden impressively sprinting six furlongs at Ellis Park before finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and fifth in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
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