Lecomte Stakes – Grade III [KYD]

1 1/16 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $250.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

1st        Painted Ice      Alydar Stables              Curtis B             no          1:41.77

Well, if this race is anything to go by, we could be looking at a photo finish for the first ten places in the KYD! I was looking for a standout here but as usual was left scratching my head as the runners finished within a length or two of each other. This winner looks to have put consistency issues behind him as he managed to string two fine efforts together after a second in the KY Jockey Club and now a narrow win in the Lecomte.  He looks to be improving the further he has gone and showed his lightening work last time was no fluke with a game win today. How deep he can go remains to be seen, but he is an exciting prospect for the popular trainer and will no doubt be lined up for another go at KYD points.

2nd       The Wrong Guy Night Rider Stables Geroux F          hd          1:41.78

Good claim? I think so because in October last year just three months ago this one was winning a five-furlong $5.000 claimer at FL and now he has put himself in the KYD picture with a hard closing second which very nearly brought him a remarkable win. The pace was fast but not suicidal so his huge late run was made this effort all the better and he would’ve gone into plenty of black books at this early time in the year.       

3rd        Strike              D J C Racing Stables Bejarano R       1/2        1:41.81               

Having just a fourth start he showed after two good State Bred wins that he is far better than just a good winner in his own State. Sitting in traffic in mid pack he finished strongly and whilst not as eye catchingly as the runner up I still put an Asterix by his name as I think there is another good win in him. Already proven in the wet the trainer will be happily looking for another KYD qualifier for him.

4th        Daring Ned      The Sidley Stud            Franco M          no          1:41.91

Another that came late as the front and back of this field sort of met in the middle down the stretch. He was only a half-length off the winner at the post so it is hard to see his fourth place as a failure, and it will be interesting to watch all of these runners as they tackle the next qualifiers with a seasonal debut behind them. 

5th        Unruffled Charm         Williams9         Cedillo A           no          1:41.93               

6th        Chasing Magic              Mb Stables      Lopez P             1/2        1:41.94               

7th        Mitchell             Royalty Stables            Ortiz I Jr             nk          1:42.08               

8th        Ikko Ikki             Jerry Garcia Racing    Hernandez R M nk      1:42.15               

9th        Down To Earth Riggins Racing            Velazquez J R  1           1:42.22               

10th     Wally Gator     Rock Creek     Husbands P                    1            1:42.51               

11th     Raining Prince Nakamura Stables    Castillo I          no          1:42.76

12th     Fear Of Walking Dead  Big Guns Stables     Smith M E         1:42.78

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES