Horse Racing Picks: Lecomte Stakes Prediction, Preview, and Odds (Jan 20)
- Fair Grounds hosts action on the Road to the Kentucky Derby this weekend
- Track Phantom heads the betting for the Lecomte Stakes in Louisiana
Eye-catching action on the Road to the Kentucky Derby takes place at Fair Grounds this weekend, as horses aged three compete over 1 1/16 miles in the G3 Lecomte Stakes. This race boasts a purse of $200,000, and all eyes will be on the incredibly progressive Track Phantom for trainer Steven Asmussen.
Schedule and How To Watch
- When: Saturday, January 20, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET
- Where: Fair Grounds, Louisiana
- How To Watch: FanDuel TV
Lecomte Stakes Odds
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Track Phantom | +162 |
| Nash | +250 |
| Ethan Energy | +500 |
| Lat Long | +750 |
| Awesome Road | +1000 |
| Can Group | +1200 |
| Next Level | +3300 |
| Tizzy Indy | +3300 |
Latest odds are taken from an offshore sportsbook.
Race Preview
There will be competitive action on the Road to the Kentucky Derby this weekend, as the Lecomte Stakes headlines the action at Fair Grounds. This race will see the field complete a total distance of 1 1/16 miles on the dirt, with Derby points awarded to the top four finishers.
It has been an important stop for a number of Triple Crown contenders throughout history, including Risen Star, who could only finish second in the Lecomte before winning the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. Oxbow also won the Lecomte in 2023 before winning the Preakness, while War of Will won at Fair Grounds before landing the same Triple Crown race in 2019.
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Track Phantom appears to be the horse to beat this weekend, as the three-year-old for Steven Asmussen has looked incredibly progressive to this point. He has won twice from four starts, with each of his two victories coming on his previous two starts. The three-year-old was excellent on his latest appearance, winning the Gun Runner Stakes with a speed rating of 100 at Fair Grounds.
Nash is the second-choice in the betting for respected trainer Brad Cox. However, the three-year-old needs to turn the tables on his re-appearing rival after finishing only third in the Gun Runner in December. Ethan Energy is interesting for the same trainer after improving to win a maiden special weight at Fair Grounds last month with a speed rating of 94.
Lecomte Stakes Prediction
It is incredibly exciting to see Track Phantom take this step up in grade on Saturday, and he is very much the horse to beat. Awesome Road could take second behind the market favorite as he drops down in grade after finishing a decent fifth in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in November.
Free Picks:
- Win:
- Exacta: Lecomte/Aweome Road
