Marcus Hersh's top 3-year-olds at Fair Grounds on Feb. 16

The fillies are better than the colts, or so it appears as we head toward the second round of 3-year-old stakes races at this meet, the Rachel Alexandra and the Risen Star, both on Feb. 21. INTERNATIONAL STAR shipped in and won the Lecomte on Jan. 17, a race that went slower than its filly companion race, the Silverbulletday, won in sharp front-running fashion by I’M A CHATTERBOX. And while the locals probably will dominate the betting in the Rachel Alexandra, a shipper – IMPERIA, or, to a lesser degree, International Star – will be expected to win the Risen Star.

Top 3-year-old males

1 – TIZOW R J
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Pedigree: Tiznow–Ruban Bleu, by Broken Vow
Last race: 3rd in Lecomte on Jan. 17 at FG
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 85/86
Target race: Risen Star, Feb. 21 at FG
Comment: Third in the Lecomte, but he can do better. He’s a massive colt, still growing into his body, but he has a good temperament and should be getting the hang of things. I think he has the most upside of any 3-year-old male based in New Orleans.

:: TOP 3-YEAR-OLDS: Aqueduct | Gulfstream | Oaklawn | Santa Anita

2 – WAR STORY
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Pedigree: Northern Afleet–Belle Watling, by Pulpit
Last race: 2nd in Lecomte on Jan. 17 at FG
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 86/86
Target race: Risen Star, Feb. 21 at FG
Comment: Still green, still learning, and room for improvement. Got away somewhat poorly in the Lecomte and made a decent run but was kind of laying on Tiznow R J in the stretch.

3 – EXODUS
Trainer: Larry Jones
Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro–Stop Traffic, by Cure the Blues
Last race: 1st in Allen’s Landing on Jan. 24 at HOU
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 89/92
Target race: Undecided
Comment: Connections are keeping him short, so don’t look at him as a Kentucky Derby prospect. The Grade 1, seven-furlong King’s Bishop at Saratoga, on the other hand . . . Did get away with a fairly easy lead in his Fair Grounds maiden romp but came home his last quarter in 24 seconds, including a fifth furlong in a snappy 11.60.

4 – WIRELESS FUTURE
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Pedigree: Scat Daddy–Princess Whinny, by Theatrical
Last race: 1st in allowance race Feb. 5 at FG
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 86/86
Target race: Black Gold Stakes, Feb. 28 at FG
Comment: Three-time winner at the meet, and after two grass wins, looked just as good, if not better, romping over suspect competition in an off-the-turf allowance race. He has size and substance and ran straight as a string while finishing well in his most recent start.

5 – ANOTHER LEMON DROP
Trainer: Phil Bauer
Pedigree: Lemon Drop Kid – Shytoe Lafeet, by King of Kings
Last race: 4th in Lecomte on Jan. 17 at FG
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 81/85
Target race: Risen Star Stakes, Feb. 21 at FG
Comment: Expected more in the Lecomte, where he got a great trip and couldn’t do much with it. He may, at bottom, be a grass horse, and he remains relatively immature physically.

Honorable mention: BOURBON COWBOY, BLUFF

:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker

Top 3-year-old fillies

1 – SHOOK UP
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Pedigree: Tapit–Sugar Shake, by Awesome Again
Last race: 2nd in allowance race Jan. 26 at FG
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 84/93
Target race: Rachel Alexandra, Feb. 21 at FG
Comment: Yes, she lost a race nearly everyone expected her to win, but I still go back to her electric maiden win Jan. 23. She was green and hard to handle behind a false pace in her defeat, and that race was a mere stepping-stone to the Rachel Alexandra.

2 – I’M A CHATTERBOX
Trainer: Larry Jones
Pedigree: Munnings–Chit Chatter, by Lost Soldier
Last race: 1st in Silverbulletday on Jan. 17 at FG
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 94/94
Target race: Rachel Alexandra, Feb. 21 at FG
Comment: Observers less hard-headed than this one would have her atop this list, but visually, I actually preferred Shook Up’s maiden win to her Silverbulletday romp. That race came pretty much out of nowhere, and I need to see her do it again, which she very well might.

3 – LOVELY MARIA
Trainer: Larry Jones
Pedigree: Majesticperfection–Thundercup, by Thunder Gulch
Last race: 1st in allowance race Jan. 26 at FG
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 88/88
Target race: Rachel Alexandra, Feb. 21 at FG
Comment: Got away with the easiest lead imaginable while beating Shook Up last out, but made the most of it, really finishing with fire. Terrible trip in previous start at Remington. Jury still out on her inherent quality, however.

Honorable mention: FOREVER UNBRIDLED, HARBOUR ISLAND

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