Start a War auditions for Risen Star in Monday feature

NEW ORLEANS – The first 3-year-old dirt-route stakes of the Fair Grounds meet, the Lecomte, was to be run Saturday, but the featured ninth race Monday could produce a starter or two for the second 3-year-old dirt-route stakes here, next month’s Risen Star.

Nine 3-year-olds were entered to run a short-stretch mile, but Tom’s Ready, who might have been favored in this race, drew into the Lecomte from the also-eligible list and runs there.

Harlan Punch, who was third last out in the $1 million Delta Jackpot, and Forevamo, who was sixth in the Jackpot after beating Harlan Punch and everyone else in the Jackpot prep, the Jean Lafitte Stakes, are the morning-line first and second choices Monday, but there are a number of other ways to go, chief among them Start a War.

The Illinois-bred Start a War, a big, heavy horse, according to trainer Bret Calhoun, simply got tired when he set the pace and faded to ninth in his career debut here Nov. 29. Start a War benefited from making a clear lead on a slow pace the second time out Dec. 17, but he made the most of it, getting his final quarter-mile in just more than 24 seconds to comfortably beat Jensen, who returned with a sharp maiden win of his own.

The strong finish suggests that Start a War could lead all the way in this short route, and Calhoun said an excellent five-furlong workout Jan. 9 was what landed Start a War a spot in this race.

Harlan Punch, meanwhile, has not posted a timed work since Dec. 29, when he was still being considered for the Lecomte Stakes. He improved from the Jean Lafitte to the Jackpot, though, and trainer Tom Amoss said that as a bulky, heavier-made horse, Harlan Punch might be better suited to a full-sized track like Fair Grounds.

Forevamo had turned in three encouraging efforts before failing to show his best in the Jackpot, but a difficult trip on a sloppy track worked against him.

“He was rank on the inside,” said trainer Al Stall. “He got very aggressive. Maybe he got outrun. We’ll find out Monday. The post will help this time. He got a little breather, and he’s come back just fine.”

Moon Gate Warrior took a surprising amount of betting when he finished fifth behind Lecomte starters Pinnacle Peak and Tom’s Ready last month. Trainer Phil Bauer said Moon Gate Warrior had a slight temperature not long before that race, which might have affected his performance.

And don’t throw out longshot Lomcevak. He had a wide draw on a sloppy track while going two turns at Keeneland in his career debut and did nothing wrong while rallying solidly to win a two-turn turf maiden race at Fair Grounds in his second start.