Risen Star Stakes Picks, Odds, and Betting Preview (Feb 14)

One of the most important early-season races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby is set for Feb 14, as the G2 Risen Star Stakes will be staged at Fair Grounds. This race has a deep history of producing strong runners, including recent winners such as Sierra Leone, Epicenter, and Gun Runner. Find the odds and picks for the 2026 Risen Star here.

Risen Star Stakes: How to Watch

• When: Saturday, February 14, 2026 @ 6:30 PM ET
• Where: Fair Grounds, Louisiana  
• How to Watch: FanDuel TV

Risen Star Stakes Odds

Horse	Odds
Paladin	+100
Golden Tempo	+500
Courting	+700
Carson Street	+900
Chip Honcho	+1000
Quality Mischief	+1200
Universe	+1600
Colt Forty Seven	+4000

Race Information & Records

Stat	Information
Race Distance	1 1/8 Miles
Most Successful Trainer	Steven Asmussen (4)
Most Successful Jockey	Shane Romero, Robby Albarado, Florent Geroux (3)
Purse	$500,000
Kentucky Derby Qualifying Points	50-25-15-10-5

ALSO SEE: Daytona 500 Picks, Odds & Preview (Feb 15)

Risen Star Stakes: Recent Winners

Year	Horse	Jockey	Trainer
2025	Magnitude	Ben Curtis	Steven Asmussen
2024	Sierra Leone	Tyler Gaffalione	Chad Brown
2023	Angel Of Empire	Luis Saez	Brad Cox
2022	Epicenter	Joel Rosario	Steven Asmussen

Race Preview

A potentially very informative renewal of the Risen Star Stakes is set for this weekend, with many of the runners that will take their chances also likely to travel to the Louisiana Derby on March 21.

Paladin will be a likely winner for the Chad Brown yard, having won on both of his two career stars. He is very well-bred, and was an excellent winner of the Remsen Stakes at the start of December. That form has since been boosted with the second, Renegade, coming out to win the Sam F. Davis Stakes.

Golden Tempo also comes into this weekend with a perfect record under rules. The Cherie DeVaux runner is a deep closer, achieving both previous wins at Fair Grounds. The three-year-old finished strong at the line in the Lecomte Stakes last time, and his experience in bigger fields could be key if getting a dream trip.

Carson Street represents the Brendan Walsh yard this weekend. The consistent three-year-old has won once in five career starts, but is yet to finish outside of the money. Was last seen finishing third in the Lecomte Stakes. Likely to be a class below some of the leading players.

Chip Honcho should also be respected this weekend for the Steven Asmussen yard. He was an impressive winner of the Gun Runner Stakes at the end of his juvenile season, before finishing fourth after a slow break in the Lecomte Stakes. Should have the ability to get closer to the horses that finished ahead of him that day.

Risen Star Stakes Picks

Paladin is a very interesting contender to consider with one eye on the Derby. However, Courting could be the horse whose season bursts into life on Saturday.

The three-year-old has one of the best pedigrees on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, and should be a fitter horse than the one that finished fourth in the Remsen Stakes at the end of last year. He’s open to the most improvement, and the big-money $5 million purchase looks like a value play.

Free Pick:

• Courting