Sharp Azteca ships in for Prelude

Sharp Azteca figures to be favored over 13 others Saturday in the $100,000 Prelude Stakes at Louisiana Downs. He is invading from Monmouth Park for the race, which serves as the local prep for the Grade 3, $400,000 Super Derby.

The Prelude will be part of a program of seven stakes worth a total of $450,000. The other races form the Louisiana Cup, with a marquee matchup of The Pickett Factor and millionaires String King and Sunbean in the $75,000 Turf Classic. The stakes are the first of the meet at Louisiana Downs.

Sharp Azteca has won three of six starts, including the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. The Prelude will be run at 1 1/16 miles and the Super Derby at 1 1/8 miles when it is renewed Sept. 10.

“We picked these races because I want to spot him right,” said Jorge Navarro, who trains Sharp Azteca.

Sharp Azteca finished fourth in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens in his most recent start June 11 at Belmont Park. He finished 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner, Tom’s Ready.

“He was fractious,” Navarro said. “He had the 1 hole. I thought he ran very well.”

Navarro had hoped that Sharp Azteca would make the Haskell Invitational last Sunday at his base of Monmouth, but he said the horse needed to be freshened after the Woody Stephens.

“He lost weight,” said Navarro. “He needed some time. He’s doing very good now though.”

Sharp Azteca, who races for Ivan Rodriguez, worked six furlongs in 1:11.80 on Saturday at Monmouth. He drew post 2 for the Prelude. Sharp Azteca will be ridden by Edgard Zayas. The Prelude is scheduled as the sixth race on a seven-race program that starts at 3:15 p.m. Central.

Other shippers in the Prelude include Texas Chrome, the runner-up to American Freedom in the Grade 3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows; Pilot House, a winner of two of his last three starts who was sixth in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby; and Secret Passage, an undefeated son of Curlin making his 3-year-old debut off a series of works at Remington Park and Churchill Downs.

The complete Prelude field, from the rail with riders: T. Jay’s Holiday, Jose Riquelme; Sharp Azteca, Zayas; Zendelphian, Roberto Morales; So Sorry Ruston, Jose Rodriguez; Mending Fences, Diego Saenz; Drakarys, Hector Del-Cid; Classy Bird, John Jacinto; Texas Chrome, C.J. McMahon; Pilot House, Richard Eramia; Fort Pulaski, C.J. Hernandez; Secret Passage, Joe Rocco Jr.; Buck Fifty, Lindey Wade; Pass the Buck, Belen Quinonez; Texas Jambalaya, Ashley Broussard.

So Sorry Ruston is cross-entered in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint on Saturday. Secret Passage will be first-time Lasix. The long-range forecast for the all-stakes card is for a high of 94 degrees, with a 20 percent chance of precipitation, according to The Weather Channel.

– additional reporting by Jim Dunleavy