Derby Dreamin’ The $250,000 Lecomte (G3) has produced 16 Kentucky Derby starters over the past 10 years, headlined by 2021 Derby champion Mandaloun. On Saturday, a group of 11 hopefuls – including Gun Runner Stakes winner Chip Honcho – begin their push towards the 2026 Run for the Roses as the prestigious Lecomte returns to Fair Grounds. Billed for the outside post, ascending sophomore Chip Honcho enters the 1 1/16-mile contest as the narrow 9-2 second choice, behind only two-time stakes winner Crown the Buckeye (4-1). Coming off his first stakes score in the Gun Runner, Chip Honcho, a 3-year-old son of Connect–Miss My Rose, sports a 2-1-0 line ($150,475) across three starts for trainer Steve Asmussen and owner Leland Ackerley Racing. Race 10, the $150,000 Silverbulletday, will award qualifying points (20-10-6-4-2) toward the 2026 Kentucky Oaks. Bayou Bonanza While not connected to the Kentucky Derby or Oaks, the $175,000 Louisiana (G3) joins the Lecomte as the first of two graded stakes tilts on Fair Grounds’ scintillating Saturday card. Also held over 1 1/16 miles, the Louisiana features a deep field of eight, led by 8-5 morning line favourite and Grade 1-placed Just a Touch. Trained by Brad Cox for owners Qatar Racing and Marc Detampel, the 5-year-old Justify bay enjoyed a successful 2025 campaign, sporting a pair of wins, a third in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1), and runner-up finish in the Monmouth Cup (G3). Across nine starts overall, Just a Touch is 3-4-1 with $640,778 in the bank. Like I See it Oncourtcommentator, runner-up in last year’s edition of the $100,000 Geisha Stakes, had a front row seat to Call Another Play’s upset victory at 15-1. With the reigning champion calling an audible and opting not to defend her crown, Oncourtcommentator returns to Laurel Park this Saturday for a shot at redemption in the one-mile dirt test. Revenge angle aside, Oncourtcommentator has not appeared in a race since the 2025 Geisha. Prior to the extended layoff, the 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare compiled a 3-3-0 line ($138,010) across seven starts for breeder/owner Stuart Grant (The Elkstone Group). Searching for her first stakes badge, Oncourtcommentator enters the Geisha at 5-2. Golden State Goliaths The best and brightest bred or sired in California will put their skills on display this upcoming Saturday as part of a five-stakes-race California Cup Day at Santa Anita. Among the quintet of local features is the $175,000 California Chrome Cal Cup Derby – a 1 1/16-mile dirt dash for homegrown 3-year-olds. The field of 11 includes the three top finishers in December’s King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos, highlighted by winner Smoovin Saturday. Sent off at 7-2 in the King Glorious, the chestnut I’ll Have Another colt closed strong to outduel second-place finisher John Metcalfe by 1 ¼ lengths. Rounding out the returning trio is third-place finisher and then even-money choice, Can’t Help Myself. Of the group, the early advantage belongs to Smoovin Saturday (5-1), while Can’t Help Myself (8-1) and John Metcalfe (12-1) follow suit. Enter Your Destination The road to the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) continues on home soil with the $125,000 Leonatus Stakes, this Saturday at Turfway Park. A local stepping stone towards the $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial (February 21) and Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks (March 21) – both key stops on the Derby map – the Leonatus is fronted by Midway Racing’s standout sophomore and 8-5 morning line choice, Street Beast. Slotted for the outside post in the field of nine, Street Beast will be making his first start since a fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) on October 31 at Del Mar. Already north of $810,000 in prizes from four starts (2-1-0), the bay trained by Ben Colebrook earned his flagship tally in the Global Tote Juvenile Mile Stakes on September 7 at Kentucky Downs. Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine Share This:Share
