Chip Honcho, Golden Tempo will face off again in Lousiana Derby

NEW ORLEANS - While Risen Star winner Paladin has left New Orleans and won’t return this year, the second- and third-place finishers, Chip Honcho and Golden Tempo, will meet again March 21 in the Louisiana Derby.

Both horses came out of Saturday’s contest in good order, their trainers reported Sunday morning.

Chip Honcho got just the trip trainer Steve Asmussen hoped for Saturday. After being hard held while pulling too strongly on the reins in the Gun Runner, which he won, and the Lecomte, where he finished a very tough-trip fourth, Chip Honcho, racing with blinkers removed, went straight to the front under Luis Saez. Others might have been surprised at how hard Paladin had to work to pass him. Asmussen was not.

“Catching off the layoff, I really thought we could beat him,” Asmussen said.

Saez, who does not often ride for Asmussen, rode Chip Honcho “to a tee,” Asmussen said, and there’s a good chance Saez will ride the colt back next month.

Golden Tempo, meanwhile, ran decently while losing for the first time in his third start. Golden Tempo beat Chip Honcho last month in the Lecomte, and if Saturday’s main-track profile benefitted Chip Honcho, it crushed Golden Tempo’s chances. Far behind the leader even going into the far turn, Golden Tempo closed for third, but had far too much to do to threaten the top two.

To that end, trainer Cherie DeVaux will race Golden Tempo in blinkers next month. DeVaux even before the Risen Star said she’d considered the equipment change, but decided against it since Golden Tempo had won both his races. The Curlin colt never has trained in blinkers and will first gallop in them when he returns to training after his post-race respite.

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