New Orleans is a fine place to spend the winter, and in recent years, the Fair Grounds has become a popular base for trainers with Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls. Horsemen like the track surface, and the mild weather minimizes disruptions in workout schedules.
The Fair Grounds’ 2026 road to the Triple Crown starts Saturday with the 1 1/16-mile, $250,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3). It continues Feb. 14 with the 1 1/8-mile Risen Star Stakes (G2) and concludes March 21 with the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby (G2).
No Lecomte winner has taken the Derby, although Oxbow (2013) and War of Will (2019) did hit the Lecomte-Preakness Stakes (G1) double. Last year’s Lecomte hero, Disco Time, looked like a prospect for the classics before bone bruising sidelined him. After recovering, Disco Time won the St. Louis Derby and the Dwyer Stakes, and he’s 5-for-5 entering the Jan. 24 Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream.
Saturday’s card at the Fair Grounds is packed with 13 races, including six stakes. Among them are the Silverbulletday, a points qualifier for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and the Louisiana Stakes (G3) for 4-year-olds and up.
A Lecomte field of 11 will be chasing Derby qualifying points, which will go to the first five finishers (20, 10, 6, 4, 2). For those who like to bet on horse racing, here’s a look at the field, from the rail out:
$250,000 Lecomte Stakes (race 13, post time 7 p.m. ET)
1 QUALITY MISCHIEF
- Odds: 10-1
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: Marcelino Pedroza, Jr.
- Stalker was fourth, beaten a length, but never threatened in Fair Grounds’ Gun Runner Stakes. Poor speed figures.
Betting verdict: Toss
2 CARSON STREET
- Odds: 8-1
- Trainer: Brendan Walsh
- Jockey: Axel Concepcion
- Broke his maiden by 11 lengths in his fourth try over a sloppy track at Fair Grounds. A possible late developer has never been worse than third.
Betting verdict: Use underneath
3 CROWN THE BUCKEYE
- Odds: 4-1
- Trainer: Mike Maker
- Jockey: Ricardo Santana, Jr.
- Faded to third as a 2-1 favorite after setting quick, contested fractions in Gun Runner. Likely pacesetter again, but could face early pressure from Carson Street, White Tiger, and Chip Honcho.
Betting verdict: Use underneath
4 EXOSOME
- Odds 20-1
- Trainer: Kelsey Danner
- Jockey: Jareth Loveberry
- Hasn’t run since breaking maiden at Keeneland in slop in a very slow time.
Betting verdict: Use underneath
5 GOLDEN TEMPO
- Odds: 8-1
- Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
- Jockey: Jose Ortiz
- The wild card. Bred well for distance (by Curlin out of a Bernardini mare) and won his only race by closing from 10th at 6 furlongs. Zipped the final furlong in 12 3/5 seconds. Could be any kind; watch the tote board.
Betting verdict: Live longshot
6 THUNDER BUCK
- Odds: 6-1
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: Luis Saez
- Son of Gun Runner was the course-and-distance winner for the elite trainer-jockey combo. Likely to improve.
Betting verdict: Win contender
7 MESQUITE
- Odds: 8-1
- Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
- Jockey: Flavien Prat
- Won at the distance by coming from far back at Churchill Downs in October. Class rise, layoff say no.
Betting verdict: Toss
8 WHITE TIGER
- Odds: 8-1
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
- Quick Colt led throughout the maiden race at 3-10 odds despite stumbling at the start. Could set the pace here or sit just off Crown the Buckeye.
Betting verdict: Win contender
9 OCELLI
- Odds: 12-1
- Trainer: Whit Beckman
- Jockey: Joe Ramos
- This 0-for-2 colt lacks speed or much of a closing punch.
Betting verdict: Toss
10 STOP THE CAR
- Odds: 8-1
- Trainer: Brendan Walsh
- Jockey: Ben Curtis
- He’s 2-for-2 and steps into stakes company after a dominant win in Churchill $100,000 optional claimer. On the rise for Walsh, who’s been hot at Fair Grounds, continuing an extended roll.
Betting verdict: Win contender
11 CHIP HONCHO
- Odds: 9-2
- Trainer: Steve Asmussen
- Jockey: Paco Lopez
- Perfect-trip winner of the Gun Runner ran his final 5/16th of a mile in a slow 33 3/5 seconds. Likely to be overbet.
Betting verdict: Use underneath
The Picks: 1 Stop the Car, 2 White Tiger, 3 Thunder Buck
The field for the $350,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
- Quality Mischief (Marcelino Pedroza, Jr., Brad Cox), 10-1
- Carson Street (Axel Concepcion, Brendan Walsh), 8-1
- Crown the Buckeye (Ricardo Santana, Jr., Mike Maker), 4-1
- Exosome (Jareth Loveberry, Kelsey Danner), 20-1
- Golden Tempo (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux), 8-1
- Thunder Buck (Luis Saez, Brad Cox), 6-1
- Mesquite (Flavien Prat, Cherie DeVaux), 8-1
- White Tiger (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Brad Cox), 8-1
- Ocelli (Joe Ramos, Whit Beckman), 12-1
- Stop the Car (Ben Curtis, Brendan Walsh), 8-1
- Chip Honcho (Paco Lopez, Steve Asmussen), 9-2
Ed McNamara is an award-winning racing writer who has covered the sport since 1981 for The Bergen (N.J.) Record, Newsday, ESPN, Thorocap, and USRacing. He is the author of Cajun Racing: From the Bush Tracks to the Triple Crown and Racing Around the World, and a contributor to The Most Glorious Crown and The Racetracks of America. He has also written for racing publications in France and Italy.
