Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has won the Louisiana Derby (G2) five times, the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and Lecomte Stakes (G3) four times each, and the Gun Runner Stakes three times on Louisiana’s Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1).
He’s won the Preakness Stakes (G1) two times, the Belmont Stakes (G1) once, the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) two times, and has more wins than any other trainer in North America (11,172 through March 16). He’s also won a Saudi Cup (G1) and a Dubai World Cup (G1).
What’s missing? Victory in the Kentucky Derby, America’s most famous horse race, is a lifelong dream for anyone involved in thoroughbred racing.
Why bring this up? Well, not for nothing, Asmussen has tried to win the Derby many times. He’s 0-for-28 since his first Derby starter in 2001. He’s finished second three times and third two times – the most agonizing defeat coming in 2022, when Epicenter, his Risen Star and Louisiana Derby winner, had victory in his grasp only to see 80-1 longshot Rich Strike sneak past on the inside and win by three-quarters of a length.
Asmussen’s reaction: “Unbelievably disappointed ... Wanted to win it. Was meant to win it. Didn't win it.”
On Saturday, Asmussen continues his quest for Kentucky Derby glory when he sends out 3-1 morning-line favorite Chip Honcho in the $1 million Louisiana Derby, one of seven point-qualifiers worth 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers over the next three weeks (and all but finalizing the field for the May 2 Derby).
Chip Honcho comes into the 1 3/16-mile race with 35 Derby points, and a top 4 finish likely gets him into the field limited to 20 starters.
The good part is Paladin, who edged Chip Honcho in the Risen Star, is not in the field, but Golden Tempo, who won the Lecomte over Chip Honcho (fourth), is in for trainer Cherie DeVaux.
Chip Honcho also won the Gun Runner Stakes at the Fair Grounds as a 2-year-old.
Luis Saez, aboard Chip Honcho for the Risen Star, has the mount again, leaving from post 3. Golden Tempo (7-2), a closing third in the Risen Star, breaks from post 5 under Jose Ortiz.
Chip Honcho is currently ninth on the Derby leaderboard with 39 points, and Golden Tempo is 12th with 35 points. (Asmussen also trains Soldier N Diplomat, who has 18 Derby points and may still run in a Derby prep.)
Also in the field is California-bred Pavlovian (6-1) for trainer Doug O’Neill. A nose winner over favorite Express Kid in the Sunland Park Derby on Feb. 15, the gray colt has 20 Derby qualifying points.
Brad Cox has two colts entered, Autobahn (8-1) and Easterly (6-1). Both are maiden winners making their first start in a stakes race.
Universe (12-1), trained by Kenny McPeek, looks to bounce back after running seventh in the Smarty Jones Stakes and fourth in the Risen Star. The colt has 23 Derby points, mostly from a pair of runner-up finishes in the Street Sense Stakes (G3) and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) in 2025.
The rest of the field includes Spirit of Royal (20-1), Emerging Market (6-1), and Blacksmith (6-1) for trainer Bob Baffert.
The field is considered wide open. Chip Honcho looks to be the speed in the race, and Saez, as he did in the Risen Star, is expected to take him to the front and hold off eight rivals.
Blacksmith, under Florent Geroux, has shown he can run well up front as he did in breaking his maiden at his fifth asking on Feb. 20 at Santa Anita.
Golden Tempo, a closer, will be fitted with blinkers for the first time and may be up closer to the pace, so he won’t have as much ground to make up in the stretch.
Easterly and Emerging Market will probably stalk the leaders, looking to make their moves in the long stretch at the Fair Grounds.
The 113th Louisiana Derby is the centerpiece of Louisiana Derby Day, which features seven stakes races, including the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), a Kentucky Oaks (G1) awarding 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers.
Post time for the Louisiana Derby is 6:42 p.m. ET.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pavlovian | E A Maldonado | D F O'Neill | 6/1 |
| 2 | Autobahn | M Pedroza, Jr. | B H Cox | 8/1 |
| 3 | Chip Honcho | L Saez | S M Asmussen | 3/1 |
| 4 | Universe | B J Hernandez, Jr. | K G McPeek | 12/1 |
| 5 | Golden Tempo | J L Ortiz | C DeVaux | 7/2 |
| 6 | Spirit of Royal | F Arrieta | D Stewart | 20/1 |
| 7 | Blacksmith | F Geroux | B Baffert | 6/1 |
| 8 | Easterly | E J Zayas | B H Cox | 6/1 |
| 9 | Emerging Market | F Prat | C C Brown | 6/1 |
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
