NEW ORLEANS – The way International Star won the Lecomte and Risen Star stakes, with determination and professionalism, has veteran jockey Miguel Mena hopeful that he might be sitting on his first legitimate Kentucky Derby contender. “The Louisiana Derby will be his big test,” said Mena, whose third ride on International Star, trained by Mike Maker, will come Saturday in that $750,000, Grade 2 Kentucky Derby prep at Fair Grounds. Eventful trips tested International Star in the mile-and-70-yard Lecomte and 1 1/16-mile Risen Star, the local preps for the 1 1/8-mile Louisiana Derby. Mena said he was impressed with how the colt dealt with difficult situations. “The horse has talent,” Mena said. “He’s done everything right the last two races – handling traffic, pressure, speed, making the move at the right time. Every little thing that a trainer expects, he’s done everything right. One thing I like when he wins these races, he gallops out well.” That’s evidence that International Star might be able to handle the 1 1/4 miles of the Kentucky Derby. And Mena brought up another point related to the colt’s potential to stretch out farther. “Both races, he got a little lost after making the lead, so I know there was more in the tank,” Mena said. With a boost from International Star, Mena has ridden to almost $2 million in purse earnings this year, putting him ninth nationally among jockeys. He’s on pace to surpass his personal high for earnings, the $6.3 million his mounts earned in 2012. Mena, 28, has been a solid jockey at Fair Grounds and in Kentucky for several years and has ranked in the top 53 riders nationally in earnings each year since 2007. With a week remaining at this meet, he stands second in the standings with 71 wins, 28 behind James Graham. Mena, who rode his first winner in 2003 in his native Peru, has 1,534 career victories in North America. His experience in Triple Crown races consists of one ride in each race; his only Kentucky Derby mount was Backtalk, who finished 20th in 2010. Mena and Maker have a long affiliation. “I’ve ridden many winners for him,” Mena said. Maker said: “He’s a very patient rider. We used him quite a bit when he first got to Kentucky and had a lot of luck with him.” Now, Mena and Maker are looking for Kentucky Derby luck with International Star, a son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus. “I’m confident about the horse,” Mena said. Homecoming for Guillot Trainer Eric Guillot is expecting lots of support when he runs the California-based Moreno in the New Orleans Handicap on Saturday. Guillot said he and his partner, Mike Moreno, a Texan whose racing entity is Southern Equine Stables, expect to have at least 30 family members at the races Saturday. Guillot, a former Fair Grounds trainer who is from New Iberia, La., said he’ll be visiting family at home during his stay. Other planned activities include eating oysters and crawfish and seeing old friends and rival trainers. “I’m looking forward to having a nice weekend,” Guillot said. “If I win, that’ll be even better.” Moreno, who won the Grade 1 Whitney last year and has earned more than $2 million, likely will be the favorite. He’s coming off a runner-up finish, 4 1/4 lengths behind Shared Belief, in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 7. “He’s a monster, the best older horse in the world,” Guillot said of Shared Belief. Guillot said that Moreno “came back in good order” from that 1 1/4-mile race, and the trainer wants to run him in the Charles Town Classic on April 18 before giving the gelding a few months off. “The only reason I’m coming is he’s doing so good,” Guillot said. Joe Talamo has the mount. Guillot said that although he respects the opposition in the New Orleans Handicap, Moreno, who has won three of 24 starts, has been facing tougher opposition. His last five starts were in Grade 1 races. “If you look at all the horses, this might be a notch below the best,” Guillot said. “[Moreno] beat Palace Malice, Will Take Charge, Itsmyluckyday.” Also, Guillot said, he’s not concerned about the possibility that Moreno, a front-runner, will face pressure early in the race and be vulnerable in the long Fair Grounds stretch. Mystery Train, the Mineshaft Handicap runner-up, is a rival with legitimate early speed. “My horse can withstand the heat in the kitchen and take the cookies out before they burn,” Guillot said. “He’s a natural Betty Crocker.”