New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) – International Star, the co-second pick,
rallied along the rail to capture Saturday’s $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at
Fair Grounds.
The 1 1/16-mile Risen Star is the final local prep for next month’s 102nd
running of the $750,000 Louisiana Derby on March 28.
Trained by Mike Maker, International Star was sent off as the 7-2 co-second
pick along with War Story behind 3-2 favorite Imperia. International Star left
from the far outside post in the nine-horse field with Miguel Mena again
riding.
Mena had his mount running wide around the first turn before moving inside up
the backstretch. The colt raced in mid-pack as 29-1 longshot St. Joe Bay set
the pace along with 111-1 longshot Hero of Humor.
International Star, winner of the track’s Lecomte Stakes last month, continued
along the rail and gained the lead at the furlong pole. The colt posted a
length win over a late running War Story with Keen Ice third.
St. Joe Bay held fourth followed by Imperia, Bluff, Tiznow R J, Big Big Easy
and Hero of Humor. J S Bach was scratched with a fever.
The time for the Risen Star was 1:43.82 on a fast track.
Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, International Star put himself in this year’s
Kentucky Derby field with the 50 points he earned Saturday. The colt has a
total of 71 points in the Kentucky Derby points system.
Winning the Risen Star also added $240,000 to International Star’s bankroll.
The 3-year-old has won half of his eight career starts for $560,979.
International Star won his debut race on the turf at Belmont Park last June 21
and came back in July to finish second in the Rockville Center Stakes over
Belmont’s main track. He also got second on the grass in Saratoga’s With
Anticipation Stakes last August.
A son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, International Star won
the Grey Stakes at Woodbine last October, but was ninth, just 3 1/4 lengths
off the winner, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.
The colt began his 3-year-old season with a 2 1/2-length win in Fair Grounds’
Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 17.
International Star returned $9.60, $4.60 and $3.40. War Story paid $4.80 and
$3.40, and Keen Ice paid $4.00 to show.
