As expected, the $200,000 Lecomte (G3) was a two-horse race, with second betting choice Track Phantom once again defeating favorite Nash at the Fair Grounds on Saturday.
Track Phantom turned aside 1-2 favorite Nash in the Gun Runner on Dec. 23 (Nash was third). This time, Track Phantom led at every call and easily held off 11-10 top choice Nash for a 2 ¾-length victory in the Kentucky Derby (G1) prep.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Track Phantom picked up 20 Derby qualifying points to give the 3-year-old 30 points overall.
“He’s got a beautiful way of going,” Asmussen said, adding that the Risen Star (G2) on Feb. 17 is likely next for the son of Quality Road. “I think he’s going to keep getting better. He continues to get stronger.”
Lecomte Stakes Recap: Track Phantom’s Front-Running Triumph
Under Joel Rosario, Track Phantom took the lead from the outset in the six-horse field, held off a mild challenge by Nash with Florent Geroux aboard at the top of the stretch, and pulled away to improve his resume to 5-3-1-1 and earnings of $285,000.
The winning time for the 1 1/16-mile Lecomte was 1:44.73. Track Phantom returned $4.80 on a $2 win bet.
Nash, meanwhile, came up short again although the son of Medaglia D’Oro, trained by Brad Cox, picked up 10 Derby qualifying points.
“No excuse,” Geroux said. “He broke sharp, and I tried to go with him (Track Phantom) into the first turn, but it looked like he really wanted the lead, so I let him go and from there I was just chasing him all the way around.
“The winner was very impressive and is a nice horse. I think he’s one of the best ones I’ve seen so far. My horse kept trying, we just couldn’t get to him.”
Lat Long, 27-1, was third, followed by Ethan Energy, Tizzy Indy, and Can Group.
Saudi Crown soars in Louisiana
On the undercard, Saudi Crown ($3.40) dominated the $175,000 Louisiana (G3) with a 5 ¾-length, gate-to-wire romp over Red Route One. Saudi Crown, trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, was 3-for-6 in 2023, including a win in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1).
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
