While proven Classic-division horses get set to meet in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup (G1), several horses who could become major division players by Breeders’ Cup are getting their year started in the $175,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 18.

Wathnan Racing’s Hit Show  had a 2024 season that matches him well with the best in the division, winning four of six starts and three graded events. However, the son of Candy Ride  ‘s year ended on a sour note when finishing third in the Nov. 29 Clark Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs before being demoted to fifth by the stewards for interference in the stretch. Trained by Brad Cox, the $1.3 million earner aims to get back on track Saturday while breaking from the rail in the 10-horse field.

A similar sour taste was likely in the mouths of trainer Mike Maker and Flying P Stable after Cooke Creek ‘s climb up the ladder following his claim in the spring was halted in the Clark. His new, on-the-pace running style carried him to consecutive allowance victories and a neck defeat to Hit Show in the Sept. 28 Lukas Classic (G2) for his new connections, but the Uncle Mo gelding could not make the lead in the Clark and finished sixth.

Cooke Creek appears to have pace competition again as several of his foes have shown an affinity for early speed. One of which is Track Phantom , the golden boy of Fair Grounds’ Kentucky Derby (G1) preps last season for L and N Racing, Clark Brewster, and Breeze Easy. Eleventh in the Derby, the Steve Asmussen trainee was most recently fourth in the local Tenacious Stakes Dec. 21.

Third in the Tenacious was Rigney Racing’s Warrior Johny . The Cairo Prince   gelding got his first taste of stakes experience last summer in the Whitney Stakes (G1), Charles Town Classic (G2), and Lukas Classic, but his first stakes victory came with class relief in the Nov. 27 Turkey Trot Stakes at Parx Racing.

“It boiled down to location and where he was (stabled) when we swung at it,” trainer Phil Bauer said about the chosen races last season. “It’s kind of the same thing here, we’re running out of our stall.”

While based at Fair Grounds for the winter, Warrior Johny has the opportunity to prove himself through the track’s older dirt-route series that continues in the Feb. 15 Mineshaft Stakes (G3) and March 22 New Orleans Classic (G2). Bauer said his performance in those spots will likely determine whether he aims for smaller stakes or graded conquests later in the year.

“He’s a pretty consistent type of horse, he’s doing as good as he was going into the last,” Bauer said. “It’s one of those things where you hope you get a lucky trip and everything bounces your way. I think that’s what it’s going to take for him to win races like this.”

That series of races for solid purse money also lured Skinner  east for the winter. Raced exclusively in California by trainer John Shirreffs so far, the 5-year-old son of Curlin   was transferred to trainer Cherie DeVaux. Owner Lee Searing of C R K Stables told the Daily Racing Form last month that higher purses and racing opportunities in the Midwest have led him to transfer about half his stable out of California.

While several contenders are aiming to bounce back to their top form, Skinner is already there after securing his first stakes win in the Nov. 23 Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar.