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Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Kentucky Derby preps enter the equivalent of quarterfinals Saturday with the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds topping the agenda and several legitimate contenders for the Run for the Roses gracing the field. The New Orleans track also has a competitive Kentucky Oaks prep on a jam-packed Saturday Stakes schedule. Oaklawn Park, Aqueduct, Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park and Sunland Park all have top-shelf races.
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The Road to the Roses
Track Phantom's impressive, three-race winning streak certainly hasn't scared off any competition from Saturday's $400,000 Grade II Risen Star at Fair Grounds.
The race, which carries 20 "Road to the Kentucky Derby" points to the winner, has a full field, with six last-race winners and a couple others who just missed by a nose in their most recent start.
Track Phantom, a Quality Road colt trained by Steve Asmussen, broke his maiden Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs and has been on a tear in New Orleans, winning the Gun Runner Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths and the Grade III Lecomte by 2 3/4 lengths.
Asmussen has another contender in Hall of Fame, who got his first win by 10 1/2 lengths over the course in January in his second start.
Also on board are the 1-2 finishers from the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club in November, Honor Marie and Real Men Violin; Grade II Remsen Stakes runner-up Sierra Leone; Catching Freedom, winner of the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Charles Fipke's homebred Bee Dancer won at first asking over the course Jan. 20 and has the look of a long shot but a decent showing could propel him anywhere in the world, given his owner's risk tolerance.
Sunday's $400,000 Grade III Sunland Park Derby has an interesting mix.
Phil D'Amato brings Stronghold from Santa Anita after runner-up finishes in the Grade III Bob Hope at Del Mar and Grade II Los Alamitos Futurity.
Trainer Asmussen brings Informed Patriot from Fair Grounds after a third-place finish in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park.
Trainer William Morey shipped Lucky Jeremy to New Mexico from Kentucky to train for the Jan. 19 Riley Allison Derby, which he won. Don't ignore this one.
The Path to the Oaks
Saturday's $300,000 Grade II Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds has a high-ceiling bunch of seven fillies headed by West Omaha.
The West Coast filly, a Gary and Mary West homebred, comes off a 5-lengths victory in the local Silverbulletday Stakes. Others to watch: V V's Dream, Alpine Princess, Intricate and Perfect Shot. Tarifa and Pennick step up in class, but are not impossible.
Sunday's $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks has a field of six coming from California, Louisiana and Texas. The morning-line pick, though, is locally based Candy Aisle, a Gun Runner filly riding a three-race winning streak.
Classic
Red Route One finished second to Saudi Crown in their last race and, since Saudi Crown now is set to contest the $20 million Saudi Cup, Red Route One should be well-fancied among nine in Saturday's $250,000 Grade III Mineshaft at Fair Grounds.
Saturday's $100,000 John B. Campbell at Laurel Park drew nine horses to go 9 furlongs.
Distaff
Saffie Joseph Jr. saddles four of the 11 distaffers in for Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park, but the morning-line favorites is Tizzy in the Sky from Todd Pletcher's tutelage.
Saturday's $100,000 Nellie Morse at Laurel Park has a field of seven including Hybrid Eclipse, the ever-competitive even-money favorite.
Turf
Saturday's $175,000 Grade III Fair Grounds Stakes has a big, competitive field. Several have been facing off through the first months of the meeting so it's a nice handicapper's task.
Filly & Mare Turf
Saturday's $100,000 Albert M. Stall Memorial at Fair Grounds has a contentious bunch including the first two finishers from the local Marie Krantz Memorial, Creative Cairo and Join the Dance.
Sprint
Post Time and Nimitz Class are the morning-line picks in a field of seven for Saturday's $200,000 Grade III General George at Laurel Park but the geezer brigade can't help rooting for 10-year-old Greeley and Ben.
The Greeley's Conquest gelding seeks his 26th win in his 45th career start and would push his earnings past the $1 million mark by finishing fourth or better.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Nine are set for Saturday's $200,000 Grade III Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park and trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has the two favorites in Intrepid Daydream and Bluefield.
Saturday's $150,000 Dixie Belle at Oaklawn Park looks like a nice jump ball with a field of eight 3-year-old fillies.
Saturday's $100,000 Ruthless for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct has a field of seven. But that includes Ghalia Princess, cross-entered in the Dixie Belle and the favorite in both fields. The Brad Cox trainee is based at Fair Grounds so the Oaklawn race is an easier ship for more money.
Turf Sprint
This busy division got off to a flying start on Fat Tuesday at Fair Grounds as Ova Charged became supercharged in the stretch run of the $100,000 Mardi Gras Stakes for fillies and mares and kicked away to win by 5 1/4 lengths over the favorite, Oeuvre. Ova Charged, a 6-year-old Star Guitar mare, has been a star player in the state-bred ranks but less so in open company. Oeuvre's career includes a third-place finish in a maiden special weight race on the final day of racing at Arlington International Racecourse, Sept. 25, 2021.
Also on tap Saturday in this division: The $100,000 Baffle Stakes for 3-year-olds down the Santa Anita hillside course; the $100,000 Colonel Power at Fair Grounds; and the $100,000 Turf Dash and $100,000 Lightning City for fillies and mares at Tampa Bay Downs.
