The $500,000, Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes Saturday at Honest Grounds is the primary Championship Sequence qualifying race in Churchill Downs’ Street to the Kentucky Derby schedule, providing a lift in factors distribution whereby 105 complete factors for the Might 2 Kentucky Derby Introduced by Woodford Reserve are allotted to the highest 5 finishers on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale.
The Risen Star drew a subject of eight, together with three who’ve received stakes races. Paladin received the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes in December, whereas Golden Tempo received the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes in January. The ultimate stakes winner is Chip Honcho, who received the Gun Runner Stakes in December earlier than posting a fourth-place end within the Lecomte. Colt Forty Seven is the one one among the many different 5 that has two wins – a dash and a turf route, each of which have been claiming races.
The opposite 4 different entrants are maiden winners: Universe received his debut final summer season at Saratoga and completed second in each the Grade 3 Road Sense Stakes in October and the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes in November, however in his most up-to-date begin, the Smarty Jones Stakes in January, he completed seventh. Carson Road notched his first win in December at Honest Grounds, and he then had the lead within the stretch however completed third within the Lecomte. Courting received in New York final fall after which completed fourth within the Remsen, and High quality Mischief scored his maiden win final October at Horseshoe Indianapolis and extra just lately completed fourth within the Gun Runner and fifth within the Lecomte.
Win contenders and evaluation: Golden Tempo and Paladin are the one current stakes winners within the Risen Star subject, and I feel that Golden Tempo will possible be a greater worth as a win wager, whereas Paladin is more likely to be the post-time favourite. Golden Tempo has received each of his profession begins, and each have been run at Honest Grounds. He took a maiden race sprinting on Dec. 20 earlier than his victory within the Lecomte on Jan. 17. In each races, Golden Tempo began in 10th and rallied to fourth on the eighth pole, and within the Lecomte, he inhaled the three horses in entrance of him, incomes an 85 Equibase Velocity Determine.
Paladin has additionally received each of his two profession races, though in his first profession begin, he really completed second however was awarded the win when first-place finisher Renegade was disqualified. In his second race, Paladin earned a 96 Equibase Velocity Determine, successful the Remsen Stakes over Renegade on Dec. 6. Renegade got here again for his 3-year-old debut final Saturday and received the Sam F. Davis Stakes. Paladin is skilled by Chad Brown, who has had current success within the Risen Star with 2024 winner Sierra Leone.
Carson Road has improved over his final two races, successful at Honest Grounds on Dec. 4 and incomes an 80 Equibase determine, after which incomes an 84 within the Lecomte. Within the Lecomte, Carson Road stalked in third early earlier than transferring to second and taking the lead on the three-quarters pole, the place he prolonged his lead by a half-length in the beginning of the ultimate eighth, however he couldn’t keep it, ending third to Golden Tempo however solely a size behind. This colt ought to enhance once more Saturday, and if his odds get near the 15-1 that they have been within the Lecomte, he might be a great win wager and also needs to be utilized in exactas and trifectas.
The remainder of the sector, with their finest consultant Equibase Velocity Figures, are: Chip Honcho (87), Colt Forty Seven (75), Courting (85), High quality Mischief (86), and Universe (91).
Win contenders in desire order:
