Fair Grounds: Fields taking shape for Louisiana Derby card

Intense Holiday, Albano, and Vicar’s in Trouble – the first three finishers in the Risen Star Stakes – are among eight 3-year-olds headed to the Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds stakes coordinator Scott Jones said Wednesday. The others are Commanding Curve, Gold Hawk, In Trouble, Louies Flower, and Rise Up.

The New Orleans Handicap field is looking deep; 2013 Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice, who won the Gulfstream Park Handicap in his first start as a 4-year-old, and Normandy Invasion, who set a Gulfstream Park track record for a mile (1:33.13) in his first start at 4, are among seven older horses expected for the race.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

The others are Mineshaft Handicap winner Bradester; Golden Soul, last year’s Kentucky Derby runner-up; Louisiana Handicap winner Fordubai; and graded stakes winner Mister Marti Gras. Graded stakes winner Guilt Trip is a possibility, Jones said.

Trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed he might run Revolutionary, who won the Louisiana Derby last year and finished third in the Kentucky Derby.

Possible horses for the Muniz, Jones said, include Amira’s Prince, who won the race last year; Grade 1 winners Admiral Kitten and Real Solution; Potomac River and Skyring, who ran one-two in the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap; and the mare Class Included, who has won two stakes at this meet.

“She just really loves the turf course here,” trainer Ron Faucheux said. “There’s no race for the fillies, bottom line. We just nominated to see how it comes up.”