The Pickett Factor early favorite for Super Derby

BOSSIER CITY, La. – The Pickett Factor was made a slight morning-line favorite over Allied Air Raid for the Grade 2, $400,000 Super Derby on Saturday at Louisiana Downs. Entries for the 1 1/8-mile race were taken Wednesday.

The field of seven also includes Prime Engine, the Washington invader who will break from the rail, and Mobile Bay, who will break from post 7 under Edgar Prado.

The Pickett Factor, who was made 8-5 for the Super Derby, and Allied Air Raid, 9-5, ran one-two in last month’s $100,000 Prelude at Louisiana Downs. The Pickett Factor earned a fees-paid berth into the Super Derby by virtue of the win. He will break from post 3 under Donnie Meche. Allied Air Raid will start from post 5 and will be ridden by Chris Landeros.

Russ Ramstad, who set the Super Derby line for Louisiana Downs, noted that Allied Air Raid was 4-5 and The Pickett Factor 5-2 for the Prelude. He thinks The Pickett Factor might be favored Saturday after his Prelude win.

“But it will be really close,” he said. “It’s a coin flip.”

The Super Derby will anchor a 13-race card Saturday. There is an early post of noon Central for the card, which includes seven stakes worth a total of $900,000. The Super Derby will be part of an all-stakes pick four that runs on races 8-11 and has a guaranteed pool of $100,000. The Super Derby will go as race 11. The other legs of the guaranteed pick four will be the Unbridled, Happy Ticket, and Sunday Silence stakes.

The Super Derby field from the rail with riders and morning-line odds: Prime Engine, Joe Steiner, 9-2; Four Leaf Chief, Gerard Melancon, 12-1; The Pickett Factor, 8-5, Meche; Fusaichi Flame, Shane Laviolette, 20-1; Allied Air Raid, Landeros, 9-5; Chocopologie, Richard Eramia, 12-1; Mobile Bay, Prado, 6-1.

The Pickett Factor defeated four of his Super Derby rivals in the Prelude. He was making his stakes debut in the race, and it marked his third straight win. Ralph Irwin trains The Pickett Factor for Melissa Cantacuzene.

Prime Engine enters the Super Derby off a six-length win in the Emerald Derby. He arrived Sunday, according to trainer Mike Puhich.

Mobile Bay was third in the Prelude after winning back-to-back statebred stakes at Evangeline Downs.