Disco Time rallies wide for Lecomte

Jan 18, 2025 James Scully

After winning his first two starts on or close to the pace, Juddmonte Farm’s homebred Disco Time switched tactics and rallied wide to get up in the Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds, picking up 20 points toward a Kentucky Derby (G1) berth in his stakes debut. Florent Geroux guided the Not This Time colt for Brad Cox, who earned his second Lecomte win, and Disco Time finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.07.

The first of three Kentucky Derby qualifiers at the New Orleans oval in 2025, the Lecomte will be followed by the Risen Star (G2) on Feb. 15 (which awards points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale to the top five) and Louisiana Derby (G2) on March 22 (100-50-25-15-10). The second-through-fifth finishers in the Lecomte received points on a respective 10-6-4-2 basis.

Cox indicated Disco Time will target the Risen Star.

“For this horse and this point of his career, I thought (the Lecomte) was a great steppingstone,” Cox said. “The Risen Star in February at nine furlongs is the kind of race that can propel your forward.”

The 1.90-1 favorite among 13 runners, Disco Time got bumped around leaving the starting gate and dropped back to 10th during the opening stages, traveling wide around the first turn from his outside post.

“That wasn’t the way we drew it up before the race,” Geroux said. “But he broke ok, and from there I saw a lot of horses going at it, so I just tucked in. I was able to save a lot of going into the first turn, which was important given the tough post we had. From there he relaxed beautifully for me and took the kickback very well.”

Innovator showed the way from his innermost post, establishing fractions in :23.68, :47.91, and 1:13.38, but the pacesetter began to weaken after entering the stretch with a clear lead. Built, the 5-2 second choice off a victory in the Dec. 21 Gun Runner at Fair Grounds, overhauled Innovator in the final sixteenth of a mile, but he could not withstand the late surge of Disco Time, who began to make up ground while five wide on the far turn and closed determinedly to prevail by a neck in the final strides.

“When he was ready I just tipped him all the way outside and made a nice, long run down the lane,” Geroux said. “I’m very pleased with the horse. I feel like I gave some ground to the runner-up (Built) who had a little bit of a better trip than mine, but my horse was able to overcome it. He proved he was the best horse today.”

Innovator wound up another half-length back in third. Next came Golden Afternoon, Maximum Promise, Magnitude, Seattle Road, Calling Card, Jolly Samurai, Mobetterthangood, Dapper Moon, Optical, and Tough Catch.

Disco Time easily captured his career debut over seven furlongs at Churchill Downs in early November and came back four weeks later to defeat entry-level allowance foes by nearly four lengths at a one-turn mile. He stretched to two turns for the first time in the Lecomte.

The Kentucky-bred colt is out of the multiple stakes-winning Jump Start mare Disco Chick, who recorded all 10 of her wins at six furlongs or less, and there are other speed influences in the female family. Disco Time appears to be receiving a solid dose of stamina from sire Not This Time, who counts Travers (G1) winner and 2022 Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter and marathon specialist Next among his leading offspring.