By Matt Shifman and Bob Ehalt

The $250,000 Lecomte (G3), Fair Grounds

Race 12 – The 1 1/16 mile Lecomte is the second of four stops on the Fair Grounds road to the 2024 Kentucky Derby with qualifying points [20-10-6-4-2] that are available to the top five finishers. Five horses in this full field of 14 have already earned some Derby points. (4) Magnitude ran at the Lecomte distance in his last two starts. In the Gun Runner, which is the first Derby prep race at the New Orleans track, he pressed the eventual winner and finished second well clear of the rest of the field. The Lecomte post-position draw was in his favor as the Gun Runner winner Built drew the 13 spot in the starting gate. (6) Golden Afternoon will move from turf to dirt after three impressive races on the grass. He was a debut winner in a rich maiden race at Kentucky Downs by almost three lengths. He was then second in the Bourbon (G2) at Keeneland ahead of a horse that won his next start. In November he won an allowance at Fair Grounds. With morning line odds of 20-1 it is worth a play. (13) Built is the horse to beat with an impressive maiden win followed by the Gun Runner victory in his last two starts, but the no. 13 post position will make it very hard to win the race. (3) Admiral Dennis was the favorite in all three of his races. He had troubled trips in his first start and still finished third and then in the Gun Runner he stumbled out of the gate. His maiden victory by more than three lengths was at Churchill going a mile.  Betting strategy:  Exacta box: 3, 4, 6, 13.