Now, it gets serious. Saturday’s $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) is the first 105-point qualifying race in the Kentucky Derby prep races. The winner receives 50 points, usually more than enough to earn a Derby berth.

So, it’s “Win and You’re In” time at Fair Grounds.

It’s a Serious Race, and “East Avenue” is Unquestionably the most serious horse in the Field of 13.

East Avenue, trained by Brendan Walsh, burst on the scene last year with a pair of dazzling wins in Kentucky. After an eight-length romp in his debut at Ellis Park, East Avenue stepped up and cruised to victory in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.

Those dominant victories earned him the role of 9-5 favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), where he tasted defeat for the first time.

The colt, named for the boulevard that runs right up to the main gate at Saratoga Race Course, stumbled badly at the start of the Juvenile and lost all chance as he finished ninth.

This is his first opportunity to make amends.

Tyler Gaffalione will be back aboard from post 4 in the bulky field, going 1 1/8 miles. He’s the 9-5 favorite.

The key question for horses making their season debuts like East Avenue is whether they are ready to deliver winning efforts or whether these races are mere tune-ups for bigger prizes down the road.

We suspect Walsh has East Avenue primed to deliver the goods. The colt has had six workouts in the New Year, with the last four being excellent 5-furlong drills. Given his class and talent, he might not be 100%, but even 80%-to-90% of East Avenue should be enough to prevail and settle his Kentucky Derby odds.

The Other Contenders Compared

Jonathan’s Way also hits the comeback trail here. The winner of the Iroquois (G3) was last seen rallying for second in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) in late November.

Like East Avenue, he also traveled to Del Mar for the BC Juvenile, where he finished seventh.

And then there’s Built, beaten only a neck in the Lecomte (G3), the Risen Star prep.

Here are the Top Picks for this Kentucky Derby Prep Races and for those who bet on horse racing:

The Picks: 1 East Avenue 2 Jonathan’s Way 3 Built

The field for the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:

1 American Promise (Keith Asmussen, D. Wayne Lukas), 12-1

2 Jonathan’s Way (Jose Ortiz, Phil Bauer), 4-1

3 Vassimo (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Todd Pletcher), 8-1

4 East Avenue (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh), 9-5

5 Chunk of Gold (Abel Cedillo, Ethan West), 30-1

6 Seattle Road (Marcelino Pedroza, Jr., Tom Amoss), 30-1

7 Septarian (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 12-1

8 Giocoso (Jaime Torres, Keith Desormeaux), 20-1

9 Built (Luis Saez, Wayne Catalano), 5-1

10 Render Judgment (Brian Hernandez, Jr., Kenny McPeek), 12-1)

11 Jolly Samurai (Rene Diaz, Danny Pish), 30-1

12 Vamos Carlitos (Florent Geroux, Greg Foley), 30-1

13 Magnitude (Ben Curtis, Steve Asmussen), 12-1

 

The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.