Marcus Hersh's top 3-year-olds at Fair Grounds on Feb. 23

I'm a Chatterbox and International Star won the weekend's 3-year-old stakes here, just like they did last month in the Silverbulletday and Lecomte. But unlike last month, I’m a Chatterbox went a little slower than International Star. International Star is based in Florida, so he’s off this list, and War Story, second in the Lecomte and the Risen Star, now sits atop it. Yockey’s Warrior was the sharpest maiden winner of the meet, but he started too late to make a stakes race here this meet. Larry Jones has a lock on the top two filly spots, while Steve Asmussen’s best prospects, the colt Tiznow R J and the filly Shook Up, both turned in disappointing performances this week and have been dropped from this list.

Top 3-year-old colts & geldings at Fair Grounds

1 - WAR STORY
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Pedigree: Northern Afleet-Belle Watling, by Pulpit
Last race: 2nd in Risen Star on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 91/91
Target race: Louisiana Derby, March 28 at Fair Grounds
Comment: Validated his Lecomte and even improved on it despite breaking poorly for the second straight race and losing precious ground on the second turn of the Risen Star. Performance came despite fact he shipped to Oaklawn and back for no reason between races, which cost him a work and got him off his feed a couple days after coming back to Fair Grounds. All considered, he could do better next time.

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

2 - YOCKEY’S WARRIOR
Trainer: Al Stall
Pedigree: Warrior’s Reward-Silla, by Gone West
Last race: 1st in maiden special weight sprint Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 97/97
Target race: Allowance race, perhaps at Keeneland
Comment: Powerhouse debut winner is well balanced, has speed and a female-side pedigree that suggests he will stay two turns. Will be brought along slowly, which is a good thing.

3 - WIRELESS FUTURE
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Pedigree: Scat Daddy-Princess Whinny, by Theatrical
Last race: 1st in allowance race on Feb. 5 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 86/86
Target race: Spiral Stakes on March 21 at Turfway Park
Comment: Three-time winner at the meet, and after two grass wins, he looked just as good if not better romping over suspect competition in an off-turf allowance race. He has size and substance, and ran straight as a string finishing well in his most recent start. Had been intended for Black Gold on turf at Fair Grounds, but now pointed to synthetic-surface debut at Turfway.

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

4 – 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 Sam Houston
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 89/92
Target race: Undecided
Comment: Connections are keeping him short, so don’t look at him as a Derby prospect. The 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, and came home his last quarter in 24 seconds, including a fifth furlong in a snappy 11.60.

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 Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 81/85
Target race: Black Gold Stakes on Feb. 28 at Fair Grounds
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 will now make his next start on turf in the $60,000 Black Gold. Remains relatively immature physically.

Honorable mention: BOURBON COWBOY, TIZNOW R J

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

Fillies

1 - I’M A CHATTERBOX
Trainer: Larry Jones
Pedigree: Munnings-Chit Chatter, by Lost Soldier
Last race: 1st in Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 90/94
Target race: Fair Grounds Oaks, March 28 at Fair Grounds
Comment: Wired the Silverbulletday on a fast pace, then came from last to win the Rachel Alexandra. Really, one just doesn’t see horses, especially young horses, change their style so radically and succeed. She’s a somewhat slight filly, but the trainer seems to have her figured out, and blossoming rider fits her well.

2 - LOVELY MARIA
Trainer: Larry Jones
Pedigree: Majesticperfection-Thundercup, by Thunder Gulch
Last race: 2nd in Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 86/88
Target race: Undecided, perhaps the Ashland at Keeneland
Comment: Thought she wound up too close to a hot pace in the Rachel Alexandra, and know the rider was hoping for a stalking, covered-up trip that just didn’t happen. Only horse close to the pace to stick around. Plenty talented, still improving.

3 - FOREVER UNBRIDLED
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Pedigree: Unbridled’s Song-Lemons Forever, by Lemon Drop Kid
Last race: 3rd in Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 85/85
Target race: Fair Grounds Oaks, March 28 at Fair Grounds
Comment: Couldn’t catch Lovely Maria for second in the Rachel Alexandra, and probably should have if she’s to have a chance to win the Fair Grounds Oaks. But that was her best race of the winter and she seems slowly to be moving forward.

Honorable mention: Shook Up