Louisiana Derby winner Vicar's in Trouble and Ohio Derby champ East Hall headline a field of 11 3-year-olds for Saturday's $400,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.
Vicar's in Trouble, trained by Mike Maker, will be making his first start in his home state since claiming the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on March 29. The colt will be ridden by Rosie Napravnik from post 4 in the 1 1/8-mile stakes.
Vicar's in Trouble stamped himself a Kentucky Derby contender at Fair Grounds by winning the Lecomte Stakes and getting third in the Risen Star before the Louisiana Derby. He finished last in the 19-horse Run for the Roses .
Vicar's in Trouble came back on June 28 with a third in the Iowa Derby as the 7-5 favorite and was third again on Aug. 2 in the West Virginia Derby. The colt has earned $888,900 with three wins in eight career starts.
East Hall will again be ridden by Juan Leyva on Saturday with the pair leaving from post 10. The chestnut gelding is owned by Jack Hendricks and Roger Justice with Bill Kaplan training.
East Hall surged in the final yards to win the Ohio Derby by a head over Super Derby starter Jessica's Star. The gelding has competed against some of the best 3-year-olds this year and will be making his ninth straight stakes start.
This year, East Hall was fourth in the Fountain of Youth, eighth in the Tampa Bay Derby, fifth in the Florida Derby and second in both the Sir Bear and Quality Road Stakes.
East Hall has three wins, three seconds and four thirds in 16 lifetime starts for $360,370.
Jessica's Star, winner of the Iowa Derby, has drawn the inside post and will have James Graham in the saddle. Trained by Michael Stidham for Mark Breen, the gelding won the Prairie Mile on May 31 before winning the Iowa Derby and runner-up in the Ohio Derby.
The 3-year-old has four wins and three seconds from seven starts for $335,600.
Here is the Super Derby field from the rail out: Jessica's Star, James Graham; Louies Flower, Jamie Theriot; Ide Be Cool, Chris Rosier; Vicar's in Trouble, Rosie Napravnik; Louisiana Flyboy, Richard Eramia; Victory Nor Defeat, Edgar Prado; Alamo Heights, Cliff Berry; Gold Appointment, Colby Hernandez; Declan's Fast Cat, Gerard Melancon; East Hall, Juan Leyva and Announcement, Junior Alvarado.
The Super Derby has an approximate post time of 6:12 p.m. ET.
[SportsNetwork.com]
