2019 Risen Star Stakes Study Guide

Feb 15, 2019 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

An overflow field of 15 is entered to contest the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds on Saturday. The highly competitive group includes the top-three finishers from the local Lecomte Stakes (G3), as well as shippers from California and Florida hailing from powerful barns.

The Risen Star kicks off the Championship portion of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, offering points on a 50-20-10-5 basis to the top-four finishers.

Here is the cast:

Plus Que Parfait Career Racing Stats

5 Starts
1 Wins
1 Place
2 Show
Total Career Earnings: $90,400

Top BRIS Speed rating (94) running neck second in Kentucky Jockey Club (G2)

Owner: Imperial Racing LLC
Breeder: Calloway Stables LLC (KY)
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Jockey: Julien Leparoux

Sire: Point of Entry
Dam: Belvedera
Color: Chestnut

The Grade 2-placed ridgling ran evenly in the Lecomte Stakes most recently. The Kentucky-bred has class and versatility, and he received a cozy rail draw for his second local assignment. Julien Leparoux stays on board.

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Roiland Career Racing Stats

5 Starts
2 Wins
1 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $79,660

Top BRIS Speed rating (88) for finishing fifth in Kentucky Jockey Club (G2)

Owner: James and Mary Durlacher
Breeder: James and Mary Durlacher (KY)
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Jockey: James Graham

Sire: Successful Appeal
Dam: Anabranch
Color: Bay

The bay colt didn’t factor from well back in the Lecomte but will get a better pace scenario to work with in this one. The one-run closer shows solid local drills and races with blinkers for the second time.

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Mr. Money Career Racing Stats

4 Starts
1 Wins
2 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $150,400

Top BRIS Speed rating (92) for fourth in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1)

Owner: Allied Racing Stable LLC
Breeder: Spruce Lane Farm (KY)
Trainer: Bret Calhoun
Jockey: Gabriel Saez

Sire: Goldencents
Dam: Plenty O’Toole
Color: Bay

The sophomore makes his seasonal debut after skipping the Lecomte. Fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last out, he is training swiftly and will be forwardly placed in here. Regular pilot Gabriel Saez retains the mount.

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Chase the Ghost Career Racing Stats

6 Starts
1 Wins
2 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $45,077

Top BRIS Speed rating (86) for sixth-placing in Lecomte Stakes (G3)

Owner: Holy Cow Stable LLC
Breeder: Himanshu Shukla (KY)
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Jockey: Mitchell Murrill

Sire: Ghostzapper
Dam: Unbridled Wee
Color: Dark Bay

The late runner didn’t impact the Lecomte when finishing sixth most recently. The Kentucky-bred has improved since removing blinkers and could rally for a share with a forward move.

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Henley’s Joy Career Racing Stats

6 Starts
3 Wins
2 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $372,160

Top BRIS Speed rating (94) in Pulpit Stakes win

Owner: Bloom Racing Stable LLC
Breeder: Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey (KY)
Trainer: Michael Maker
Jockey: Manuel Franco

Sire: Kitten’s Joy
Dam: Blue Grass Music
Color: Chestnut

This talented colt makes his dirt debut in the Risen Star. The two-time stakes victor has tactical speed as well as a sharp turn of foot. The chestnut colt could be a surprise if he takes to the dirt under new jockey Manny Franco.

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Hog Creek Hustle Career Racing Stats

5 Starts
2 Wins
1 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $121,300

Top BRIS Speed rating (93) in allowance victory

Owner: Something Special Racing LLC
Breeder: Hargus and Sandra Sexton & Silver Fern Farm LLC (KY)
Trainer: Vickie Foley
Jockey: Florent Geroux

Sire: Overanalyze
Dam: Candy Fortune
Color: Dark Bay

The Lecomte runner-up put in a fine late rally behind a soft pace in advance of this assignment. The talented colt retains Florent Geroux and is a viable threat as a win player from off the pace.

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Manny Wah Career Racing Stats

8 Starts
2 Wins
2 Place
2 Show
Total Career Earnings: $119,225

Top BRIS Speed rating (95) for second in Sugar Bowl Stakes

Owner: Susan Moulton
Breeder: Martha Jane Mulholland & Modo Tesio Equine LLC (KY)
Trainer: Wayne Catalano
Jockey: Channing Hill

Sire: Will Take Charge
Dam: Battlefield Angel
Color: Chestnut

This $175,000 yearling purchase comes in with a pair of stakes-placings in succession, including a third on this surface last out in the Lecomte. The pacey sort gets a much better draw here and he will be part of the early tempo once again.

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Owendale Career Racing Stats

6 Starts
2 Wins
1 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $63,225

Top BRIS Speed rating (96) in allowance victory

Owner: Rupp Racing
Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Shaun Bridgmohan

Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Aspen Light
Color: Bay

This improving sort beat a nice field in a strong allowance tally over a sealed strip locally. The $200,000 yearling purchase is moving in the right direction in preparation of his stakes bow. The bay colt will be among the early leaders at a square price.

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Country House Career Racing Stats

3 Starts
1 Wins
1 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $40,175

Top BRIS Speed rating (91) in maiden win

Owner: Mrs. J. V. Shields Jr. et al’s
Breeder: J. V. Shields Jr. (KY)
Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: Luis Saez

Sire: Lookin at Lucky
Dam: Quake Lake
Color: Chestnut

This wildcard in the field takes the big maiden-to-stakes move after graduating at Gulfstream Park in style. The intriguing prospect earned a whopping 123 BRIS Late Pace figure for his win and looks like a horse on the rise. The sophomore will be doing his best work inside the final furlong as a potential win player.

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Limonite Career Racing Stats

4 Starts
1 Wins
1 Place
2 Show
Total Career Earnings: $84,300

Top BRIS Speed rating (92) for third in Kentucky Jockey Club (G2)

Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Willis Horton
Breeder: Roberto Mesquita (KY)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

Sire: Lemon Drop Kid
Dam: Colina Verde
Color: Bay

This consistently good Kentucky-bred closed from last to get third in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) in his juvenile finale. The prospect shows solid local drills for his three-year-old debut and could be in the mix late with a forward move off the shelf.

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Dunph Career Racing Stats

4 Starts
2 Wins
0 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $151,540

Top BRIS Speed rating (95) for win in Spendthrift Juvenile Stakes

Owner: Three Diamonds Farm and Joseph Besecker
Breeder: Equus Farm (KY)
Trainer: Michael Maker
Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Sire: Temple City
Dam: Skymynx
Color: Dark Bay

The gelding was a creditable third in the Springboard Mile after making a big middle move last time out. The Kentucky-bred owns positional speed and the move to jockey Jose Ortiz is a positive one. He could contend in a well-matched field.

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Frolic More Career Racing Stats

5 Starts
1 Wins
2 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $68,170

Top BRIS Speed rating (94) for second in allowance event

Owner: Andrew Farm and On Our Own Stable LLC
Breeder: Bill Justice and Dr. Naoya Yoshida (KY)
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Jockey: Corey Lanerie

Sire: More Than Ready
Dam: Summer Frolic
Color: Bay

The colt increased his BRIS Speed figure 13 points in a recent allowance race here, but he will have to prove that it was not a fluke. This inexpensive purchase would be a surprise in his initial stakes try.

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Kingly Career Racing Stats

2 Starts
1 Wins
1 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $43.200

Top BRIS Speed rating (94) in maiden victory

Owner: Clearview Stables LLC and Rac 04 Racing LLC
Breeder: Clearsky Farms (KY)
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke

Sire: Tapit
Dam: Justwhistledixie
Color: Bay

This California import was a game winner on debut and finished second in a recent allowance event behind a highly rated colt. The Bob Baffert pupil is a half-brother to 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner New Year’s Day and a full brother to 2016 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) victor Mohaymen. The well-bred sort is an obvious contender for the best three-year-old conditioner in the business.

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War of Will Career Racing Stats

6 Starts
2 Wins
1 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $251,569

Top BRIS Speed rating (94) in maiden tally and Lecomte Stakes (G3) win

Owner: Gary Barber
Breeder: Flaxman Holdings Limited (KY)
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Sire: War Front
Dam: Visions of Clarity
Color: Bay

This classy colt has passed his pair of dirt tests with flying colors, including a dominant win in the Lecomte most recently. The well-bred sophomore looks like a fantastic prospect, though he must overcome a dreadful post while widest in this spot. Tyler Gaffalione will have the one-to-beat forwardly placed from the break.

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Gun It Career Racing Stats

3 Starts
1 Wins
0 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $33,130

Top BRIS Speed rating (91) for third in allowance race

Owner: Whisper Hill Farm LLC and Three Chimneys Farm
Breeder: Three Chimneys Farm and Besilu Stables LLC (KY)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.

Sire: Tapit
Dam: Miss Besilu
Color: Gray/Roan

This $2.6 million yearling purchase makes his stakes debut as the first on the also-eligible list. The improving youngster is bred to run all day and has increased his BRIS Speed number in every start leading up to this. The future looks bright for the lightly raced colt, but the post and level of competition makes him hard to back with confidence at this stage of his development.