The Lecomte Stakes is a Grade III race for 3-year-olds that takes place annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. The race was first run in 1970 and is named in honor of Lecomte, a successful racehorse in the mid-19th century. Initially contested at a distance of one mile, the race has undergone various distance changes over the years.
This stakes race serves as an important early prep race for three-year-olds on their journey to the Kentucky Derby, attracting top-class horses and jockeys. It plays a significant role in shaping the field for the Triple Crown races, making it a key event in the racing calendar. The top five finishers are awarded Derby qualifying points (20-10-6-4-2). To see the leaderboard for the 2024 Kentucky Derby Contenders, you can click the following link.
Race Information:
- Track: Fair Grounds
- Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
- Event Grade: Grade III
- Race: 13
- Post Time: 7:00 PM ET
- Length: 1 1/16 Miles
- Purse: $200,000
- Division: Open | Three Years Old
- Surface: Dirt
- Wagers: Exacta, $0.50 Trifecta, $0.10 Superfecta
Previous Winners:
- 2023: Instant Coffee
- 2022: Call Me Midnight
- 2021: Midnight Bourbon
- 2020: Enforceable
- 2019: War of Will (Preakness Winner)
Field:
| Post Position | Horse | Morning Line (ML) Odds |
| 2 | Nash | 5-2 |
| 3 | Tizzy Indy | 30-1 |
| 4 | Can Group | 6-1 |
| 5 | Ethan Energy | 4-1 |
| 6 | Lat Long | 8-1 |
| 7 | Track Phantom | 9-5 |
Horse Preview:
| Name: |
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Next Level finally broke his maiden in his fifth start in a Maiden Special Weight at Fair Grounds. Before that, he ran 7th in the American Pharoah Stakes (Grade I) and 3rd in the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (Grade I). In his last start (Gun Runner Stakes), he ran 7th weakening down the stretch and losing to fellow entrant Track Phantom. One change for this horse is that the blinkers will come off. Keith Desormeaux will get the mount who’s ridden this horse four times before. Desormeaux also won this race in 2022 with Call Me Midnight.
| Name: Nash | ML Odds: 5-2 | ||
| Owner(s): Godolphin LLC | |||
| Trainer: Brad Cox | |||
| Jockey: Florent Geroux | |||
| Dam: Sara Louise (Malibu Moon) | |||
| Sire: Medaglia d’Oro (El Prado*Ire) | |||
| Starts | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | |
| Life | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 | M | 0 | 0 |
| Fair Grounds | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
In his first career start, Nash ran 2nd in a Maiden Special Weight at Keeneland. Following that race, he broke his maiden in another Maiden Special Weight winning by more than ten lengths over the field. In his most recent race, he finished 3rd in the Gun Runner Stakes losing to fellow entrant Track Phantom. Florent Geroux who has ridden the horse in his last two races will retain the mount. Brad Cox won this race in 2023 with Instant Coffee.
| Name: Tizzy Indy | ML Odds: 30-1 | ||
| Owner(s): Calumet Farm | |||
| Trainer: Keith Desormeaux | |||
| Jockey: James Graham | |||
| Dam: Tizzy Fever (Tiznow) | |||
| Sire: Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) | |||
| Starts | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | |
| Life | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 | M | 0 | 0 |
| Fair Grounds | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Tizzy Indy finally broke his maiden in his fourth start in a $20,000 Maiden Claiming at Churchill Downs. Following that race, he ran 2nd in a Starter Allowance. In his most recent race, he moved to the turf and ran 3rd in a Starter Optional Claiming at Fair Grounds. James Graham will get his first mount with Tizzy Indy. Keith Desormeaux won this race in 2022 with Call Me Midnight.
| Name: Can Group | ML Odds: 6-1 | ||
| Owner(s): D. J. Stable LLC and Cash is King LLC | |||
| Trainer: Mark Casse | |||
| Jockey: Jareth Loveberry | |||
| Dam: Blue Gallina (Street Sense) | |||
| Sire: Good Samaritan (Harlan’s Holiday) | |||
| Starts | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | |
| Life | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 | M | 0 | 0 |
| Fair Grounds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Can Group began his career with back-to-back 3rd-place finishes in Maiden Special Weights at Ellis Park. Following that, he switched surfaces and won a Maiden Special Weight at Kentucky Downs. Showing promise of the turf, they ran him in the Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes (Grade II) at Keeneland which he won as well. In his most recent race, he finished 4th in the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Grade I). Jareth Loveberry will get his first mount with Can Group.
| Name: Ethan Energy | ML Odds: 4-1 | ||
| Owner(s): Stonestreet Stables LLC | |||
| Trainer: Brad Cox | |||
| Jockey: Luis Saez | |||
| Dam: Sass and Class (Harlan’s Holiday) | |||
| Sire: Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie) | |||
| Starts | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | |
| Life | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 | M | 0 | 0 |
| Fair Grounds | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Ethan Energy began his career with a 6th place finish in a 6 1/2 furlong sprint at Keeneland. In his most recent start, he raced at a distance of 1 1/16 miles winning by more than five lengths over the field. Luis Saez will get his first mount with Ethan Energy.
| Name: Lat Long | ML Odds: 8-1 | ||
| Owner(s): Walking L Thoroughbreds LLC | |||
| Trainer: Kenny McPeek | |||
| Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr. | |||
| Dam: Amen Sista (Street Cry*Ire) | |||
| Sire: Liam’s Map (Unbridled’s Song) | |||
| Starts | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | |
| Life | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 2023 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 2022 | 0 | M | 0 | 0 |
| Fair Grounds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lat Long finally broke his maiden in his most recent start. However, in his four previous starts, he hit the board each time. Before his last race, he ran 2nd to fellow entrant Track Phantom in a Maiden Special Weight at Churchill Downs. Brian Hernandez Jr. will get the mount who’s ridden this horse four times before.
| Name: Track Phantom | ML Odds: 9-5 | ||
| Owner(s): L and N Racing LLC | |||
| Trainer: Steve Asmussen | |||
| Jockey: Joel Rosario | |||
| Dam: Miss Sunset (Into Mischief) | |||
| Sire: Quality Road (Elusive Quality) | |||
| Starts | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | |
| Life | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 | M | 0 | 0 |
| Fair Grounds | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Track Phantom is the morning line favorite in the Lecomte Stakes. He’s won his last two races including the Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds and a $123k Maiden Special Weight at Churchill Downs. Both of those races were run at a distance of a mile and a sixteenth. In the Gun Runner Stakes, he defeated fellow entrant Nash (3rd) and in that Maiden Special Weight, he beat fellow entrant Lat Long (2nd). Joel Rosario will get his first mount with Track Phantom.
Awesome Road won his first start in a 6 furlong spring at Ellis Park posting an impressive speed figure. Following that, he finished 6th in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (Grade I) which was a mile and a sixteenth. In his most recent race, they kept him at that distance and he finished 5th in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (Grade II). Axel Concepcion will get his first mount with Awesome Road.
Projected Pace:
- Front Runners
- Nash (#2)
- Track Phantom (#7)
- Off the Pace
Next Level (#1)- Lat Long (#6)
- Middle/ Back of the Pact
- Tizzy Izzy (#3)
- Ethan Energy (#5)
Awesome Road (#8)
- Closers
- Can Group (#4)
Picks:
While there is a chance that Track Phantom will run away with this race, I’m always looking to beat the favorite. My two picks to try and upset the favorite are Nash and Ethan Enegery. Nash lost to Track Phantom is the Gun Runner after a slow start. Nash challenged him as they rounded the backstretch but flattened out. The good news is that there isn’t much pace in this race so he should be able to stick closer to Track Phantom as he sprints towards the lead out of the gate. Ethan Energy has shown tremendous progress in his last race. He posted a pretty impressive time and while he doesn’t have the same speed figures as the morning line favorite, he’s on the right path. His last race was at a mile and a sixteenth which was also encouraging knowing he can run this distance. If he can stay relatively close to the leaders into the backstretch he may have a chance to run them down.
My two other options were Can Group and Lat Long however I had some issues with them. Can Group has only raced once on dirt which was his first of his career. He ran 3rd in a $120k Maiden Special Weight and to be fair, the track had sloppy conditions. Since that race, he switched to turf where he’s had success. I’m a bit hesitant with this horse given the surface change. Lat Long took five tries to break his maiden and has shown that he just doesn’t have the speed to compete with Track Phantom.
Next Level (now scratched), Tizzy Indy, and Awesome Road (now scratched) were all tosses for me.
Best of luck, and as always you can find me on Twitter @GatorBetting and Instagram @Gator_Sports_Betting. Any feedback whether positive or negative is always encouraged.
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