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

It’s getting close to Louisiana Derby Day, and INTERNATIONAL STAR is headed back to New Orleans to try and sweep the 3-year-old dirt-route stakes series this winter, so despite the fact he’s been based all along in Florida, we’ll add him to this list.

I think some folks were getting antsy about Silverbulletday and Rachel Alexandra winner I’M A CHATTERBOX’s lack of published workouts since her win in the Feb. 21 Rachel Alexandra, but trainer Larry Jones said all along she’d work twice before the local Oaks, and she was back on the tab March 16 with a bullet five furlongs. Nothing wrong with Chatterbox.

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

1 – INTERNATIONAL STAR
Trainer: Mike Maker
Pedigree: Fusaichi Pegasus–Parlez, by French Deputy
Last race: 1st in the Risen Star on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 93/93
Target race: Louisiana Derby on March 28 at Fair Grounds
Comment: What if he’s, you know, actually good? I’ve been as skeptical as anyone, and still am to some degree, but International Star has basically done nothing wrong this year, and he probably did take an incremental step forward from the Lecomte when he won the Risen Star. Doubt the nine furlongs of the Louisiana Derby will trouble him, and this race doesn’t figure to be significantly deeper than the Risen Star. There’s not a whole lot to the colt, and I’ve heard horsemen raise questions about his conformation with regard to future soundness, but I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t at least run his race on March 28.

:: 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 Risen Star on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 91/91
Target race: Louisiana Derby, March 28 at Fair Grounds
Comment: Likely not at his best, despite a career-best in the Risen Star. His preparation for the race was difficult, including a round trip to Oaklawn Park for an abandoned run in the postponed Southwest Stakes. War Story missed a work and was off his feed early in the week before the Risen Star, suggesting he can do better in the Louisiana Derby. Needs better gate habits – slow starts in both his runs this winter. Not a massive horse, but well balanced, and remains lightly raced with some upside.

3- 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: Keeneland one-turn allowance race
Comment: Powerhouse debut winner has speed but also a female-side pedigree that suggests he will stay two turns. Plan is to run him back in a seven-furlong first-level allowance race on opening day of the Keeneland meet. Worked a half-mile March 6, first drill since his debut, and was back on the tab again this week. They’re going slow with him, which is a plus, but even if he has the quality, he might not wind up in a truly major race til mid-summer.

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

4 - WIRELESS FUTURE
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Pedigree: Scat Daddy–Princess Whinny, by Theatrical
Last race: 1st in allowance race Feb. 5 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 86/86
Target race: Spiral Stakes on March 21 at Turfway Park
Comment: Bred top and bottom for turf, and he does have two grass wins this winter, but also ran well beating little in an off-turf allowance race Feb. 5, though that race – unsurprisingly – has not aged especially well. He has size and substance, and a nice way of going, but though he figures to fit well in the Spiral Stakes, he has some distance to go before looking like an elite prospect.

5 – 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. Not sure how good he is.
Got 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. Was getting late going seven furlongs s at Houston and has yet to work back five weeks later.

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

Top 3-year-old 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: Back on the work tab March 16 blazing five furlongs solo with race rider Florent Geroux up. Geroux texted that the filly was “very impressive,” and thinks she might be the real thing – as in Kentucky Oaks real.
Wired the Silverbulletday on fast pace, then came from last to win the Rachel Alexandra – that’s impressive stuff. She’s a somewhat slight filly but has put on weight through the winter, and the trainer seems to have her figured out.

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: Ashland?
Comment: She probably got too much of a hot pace in the Rachel Alexandra and finished far better than the other pace horses in the race, though she is a somewhat short-coupled blocky type that might not want much more distance than 8 1/2 furlongs. Unlike stablemate I’m a Chatterbox, she has yet to work back, suggesting she’s being routed to the Ashland Stakes rather than the Fair Grounds Oaks.

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: Baby steps. I expected more in January, but perhaps expected a little less than what she delivered in the Rachel Alexandra. Still, she couldn’t catch Lovely Maria for second with a much better trip and probably should have if she’s to be taken seriously as an Oaks contender, be it of the Fair Grounds or Kentucky variety.

Honorable mention: Shook Up, Mizz Money