Sat Jan 12 19:02:40 2008

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Asmussen horse takes Lecomte Stakes

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New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Steve Asmussen, trainer of probable Horse of the Year Curlin, may have another good three-year-old in his stable for this year. Z Fortune rallied down the stretch Saturday to win the $100,000 Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds. The one-mile race is the track's first leg of its Louisiana Derby Series.

Last year's Lecomte was taken by Hard Spun, who went on to win the Lane's End Stakes and finish second to Street Sense in the Kentucky Derby. Hard Spun closed his career with a second place finish to Curlin in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The Darp broke best in the field of eight three-year-olds. He set the pace up the backstretch followed by He's Eze, Texas Fever and Mad Flatter. Running in fifth, well off the pace, was Z Fortune and jockey Shaun Bridgmohan.

Z Fortune advanced around the final turn and joined the leaders coming into the stretch. He was second with a furlong to run and took the lead for good with about 100 yards to run.

The winner registered a 2 3/4 length win over morning-line favorite Blackberry Road with Mad Flatter holding onto third. Completing the order of finish was He's Eze, The Darp, Macho Again, Texas Fever and Star Defender.

The final time for the one-mile Lecomte was 1:37.79 on a fast track.

Star Guitar was injured in a workout earlier this week and was scratched.

"He's a very good three-year-old who shipped from New York," noted Asmussen. "My job is to try to figure out how to win the (Kentucky) derby with him. We'll try to map out a plan. He's a good horse."

Asmussen won this race in 2002 with Easyfromthegitgo.

Z Fortune is owned by Zayat Stables for whom the colt is perfect in three career starts. The Lecomte is the first stakes victory for Z Fortune and was worth $60,000. The colt has earned $117,600 in his brief career.

Z Fortune returned $12.00, $5.60 and $4.00. Blackberry Road paid $4.20 and $2.80, Mad Flatter paid $6.00 to show.

The Lecomte is the first leg of the Louisiana Derby Series that will continue Feb. 9 with the $300,000 Risen Star Stakes and culminate with the $600,000 Louisiana Derby on March 8.