Mon Jan 7 15:04:57 2008

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Nine entered for Lecomte Stakes

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New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Nine three-year-olds have been entered for Saturday's $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.

Expected to receive considerable attention is Dogwood Stable's Blackberry Road. Already a veteran of four stakes races, the colt will be ridden by Calvin Borel who won last year's Kentucky Derby on Street Sense. The pair will start from post six for trainer David Carroll.

"I always look forward to coming to New Orleans," said owner Cot Campbell from Aiken, SC Friday afternoon. "It's my birthplace and I love that city. Hopefully, our horse will run well in the Lecomte and we would then run him in the Risen Star and the Louisiana Derby after that."

Blackberry Road has one win in six starts for $108,235. He finished second by a half-length in his last start in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs on November 24 after a third place finish at Turfway Park in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile.

Kentucky Cup Juvenile winner Texas Fever will break from the inside post with Jamie Theriot in the saddle. The colt is owned by Stonerside Stable and trained by Mike Stidham.

After his win at Turfway Park, Texas Fever was sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf behind Nownownow. He has earned $80,460 in five starts with two wins.

Local runner Star Guitar goes after his third straight win after a perfect two-race 2007. Star Guitar will be ridden by Curt Bourque from post four.

Owned by Brittlyn Stable and trained by Albert Stall, the colt broke his maiden on November 22 here and followed with a victory in the Louisiana Juvenile on December 8. The two wins were worth $84,000.

"As a baby, he was very alert and smart as a whip," said Evelyn Benoit of Brittlyn. "The first time he ever worked, my husband and I got up at 4:30 in the morning and drove to Lafayette. We knew that day he was going to be something special."

Here is the complete field for the Lecomte in post position order: Texas Fever, Jamie Theriot; The Darp, Robby Albarado; He's Eze, Jose Rivera; Star Guitar, Curt Bourque; Z Fortune, Shaun Bridgmohan; Blackberry Road, Calvin Borel; Mad Flatter, James Graham; Macho Again, Julien Leparoux and Star Defender, Miquel Mena.

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.

On Sunday at the Fair Grounds, Breeders' Cup Classic winner Curlin, aiming for a potential four-year-old season, worked a half-mile in 53 2/5 seconds. It was the first timed workout for Curlin since his Breeders Cup win.

"We're progressing nicely," said trainer Steve Asmussen. "He galloped out in 1:06 and change."

Asmussen is targeting Saturday as the next workout day for Curlin.