Field coming together for first turf edition of Super Derby

Louisiana Downs racing secretary David Heitzmann had a working list of seven or eight possible starters for the $200,000 Super Derby as of Monday morning. The Super Derby, which will be run on the turf for the first time Saturday, anchors a card of seven stakes worth a total of $540,000.

Heitzmann said horses under consideration for the Super Derby include Mr. Misunderstood and Fast Talkin Man, the first two finishers in the local prep, the Prelude. Sonneteer is also possible. He was the runner-up in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn and won his maiden in his turf debut last out at Del Mar.

Another potential starter is Gorgeous Kitten, who ran second in a pair of Grade 3 grass races this summer at Arlington. The field could also include Culp’s Hill, Durocher, and Flying Honeyspot. Entries for the Super Derby were to be taken on Tuesday.

Heitzmann said the Super Derby will be carded as the 11th race on a 13-race program. The card will have a special first post of 12 p.m. Central. There will be an all-stakes pick four, and it will have a minimum guaranteed pool of $75,000, according to officials with Louisiana Downs. It is scheduled to start with the eighth race and include the Super Derby.

The Super Derby was moved to turf for this year’s running and its distance was shortened to 1 1/16 miles from 1 1/8 miles. On account of the surface switch, the race will not have the Grade 3 status it carried last year when Texas Chrome won.

The stakes supporting this year’s Super Derby also are on turf and include the $60,000 Sunday Silence and $60,000 Happy Ticket, both 2-year-old stakes at one mile, and the $60,000 Unbridled and the $60,000 River Cities at 1 1/16 miles. Louisiana Downs also is carding the $50,000 Need for Speed and $50,000 Tellike, five-furlong turf sprints moved from Evangeline Downs.

There is live racing on Wednesday at Louisiana Downs. The track will then be dark Thursday and Friday before resuming live action on Saturday for the Super Derby card. The forecast for the meet’s richest program calls for sunshine with a high of 83 degrees and a 10 percent chance of rain.