Five stakes support graded events on rich Louisiana Derby card

NEW ORLEANS – If they get lost in the shuffle, well, that’s life in the big city on a big race day.

Whatever the case, five supporting stakes – all but one of them for Louisiana-breds – will help keep Fair Grounds fans entertained before and after four straight graded stakes are run Saturday during the 15-race Louisiana Derby card.

Here are quick sketches of those secondary features:

Star Guitar (race 2)

All six starters made their last start on the Fair Grounds turf Feb. 27 in the Dixie Poker Ace, a race won by an 11-1 front-runner. But if they run back to their best dirt races, Sunbean is the obvious horse to beat for Brittlynn Stable, which bred and owned Star Guitar, the all-time leading Louisiana-bred with nearly $1.75 million in earnings.

However, Sunbean was laid up for more than a year prior to the Dixie Poker Ace. If he isn’t his old self, this 1 1/16-mile race could fall a few different ways, including to the stretch-running Stormdriver for trainer Pat Devereux Jr.

Crescent City Derby (race 5)

Icy Gentleman suddenly got good at Delta Downs when capturing back-to-back statebred stakes, but he’ll take on more distance and some new faces as one of the lukewarm choices among the 13 3-year-olds this 1 1/16-mile race.

Mageez, a runaway winner of an allowance here last month, comes well drawn along the rail with Mitchell Murrill up. Sea Vow and Extra Credit also will draw their share of action.

New Orleans Ladies (race 6)

This race once was part of the graded stakes schedule – Zardana upset Rachel Alexandra in 2010, and Havre de Grace was an easy winner in her career finale in 2012 – but for now, it’s just an overnight event that has been moved over to turf.

Tuttipaesi was supposed to ship in from Florida as a solid favorite but instead will scratch after being flown to Santa Anita to run. That leaves Cash Control and Mizz Money as the top threats in a field reduced to no more than 10 in the only non-statebred race among the supporting stakes.

Costa Rising (race 11)

The call of the Louisiana Derby might still be reverberating throughout the plant when this 5 1/2-furlong race kicks off the final five-race stretch of the day.

Heitai, the millionaire 6-year-old with an extraordinary turn of early speed, will be the one to catch. Brilliant Interest and jockey John Velazquez will be among those giving closest pursuit. If things get too hot, then turnbackers such as Hail to the Nile or McGehee’s Mercy could capitalize. The unbeaten (and cleverly named) Mr. L.S. Shoe is intriguing. A field of 11 goes.

Crescent City Oaks (race 12)

Nine 3-year-old fillies seem fairly well matched in this race at a mile and 70 yards, with the late-running Jet Black Magic perhaps the favorite on the strength of her victories in the Delta Princess last fall and the Azalea in early March. In opposition, Our Lady Allie and Calamity Jane both are looking to extend winning streaks to three.