Mon Mar 3 16:01:41 2008

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Pyro set to light it up in Louisiana Derby

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New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Pyro, winner of the Risen Star Stakes, heads a field of nine for Saturday's $600,000 Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds. The 1 1/16 mile race is a major event on the way to the Kentucky Derby.

Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Pyro has career earnings of $696,718 with two wins in five starts. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the three-year-old is the 7-5 morning-line favorite and will start from post three with Shaun Bridgmohan again in the saddle.

Following a win in his initial lifetime start, Pyro was third in an allowance race and then posted two straight second-place finishes in the Champagne Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile. It was War Pass who got the best of Pyro in those two stakes races.

If all goes according to plan Pyro will race in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday, April 12 prior to the Kentucky Derby.

Asmussen's other starter in the Louisiana Derby will be J Be K, who will break from post four with Kent Desormeaux riding. Owned by Zayat Stables, J Be K is undefeated in two career starts and is 12-1 in the program.

Making his 2008 debut is highly regarded Tale of Ekati, who is 7-2 in the morning-line. The colt will be ridden by Edgar Prado from post six.

Tale of Ekati is trained by Barclay Tagg for Charles Fipke. The three-year-old has won two of four starts, including last year's Futurity at Belmont Park. He was fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and second in the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga, and brings a bankroll of $313,200 into Saturday's race.

California Derby winner Yankee Bravo is the third choice at 4-1. Trained by Paddy Gallagher, the colt will start from post eight with Alex Solis riding for the third straight time.

Yankee Bravo came from last in a 12-horse field to win the California Derby at Golden Gate Fields in late January. He is perfect in three career starts for $142,049. The colt is nominated for the Santa Anita Derby on April 5.

Here is the complete field for the Louisiana Derby, which has a post-time of 5:48 p.m. (et): Stevil, Calvin Borel 15-1; My Pal Charlie, Julien Leparoux 20-1; Pyro, Shaun Bridgmohan 7-5; J Be K, Kent Desormeaux 12-1; Unbridled Vicar, Corie Lanerie 20-1; Tale of Ekati, Edgar Prado 7-2; Blackberry Road, Robby Albarado 10-1; Yankee Bravo, Alex Solis 4-1; and Majestic Warrior, Garrett Gomez 9-2.