Two Phil's tries to show he's worthy of Kentucky Derby dreams in Lecomte Stakes

The last time a real Kentucky Derby horse came out of Chicago was 2002, when War Emblem won the Illinois Derby at defunct Sportsman’s Park for trainer Bobby Springer, subsequently was purchased by Ahmed bin Salman, and three weeks after the Illinois Derby won the Kentucky Derby for trainer Bob Baffert.

Two Phil’s might have seen the last of Chicago for the time being, but he has done most of his training there at Hawthorne Racecourse before being shipped to Fair Grounds to start Saturday in the Lecomte. And his trainer, Larry Rivelli, hopes he might have a Derby horse on his hands.

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“Go in the Lecomte, and if he runs one-two and gets the points, comes out of it well, skip the Risen Star and go to the Louisiana Derby,” said Rivelli, who has three horses at Fair Grounds along with strings at Hawthorne, Turfway Park, and Palm Meadows in Florida. “That’s the plan right now.”

Two Phil’s, a Hard Spun colt owned by Philip Sagan and Patricia’s Hope, could easily finish in the top two Saturday. He broke from post 12, had trouble into both turns while losing ground, and finished seventh of 14 in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on Oct. 8, then came back 22 days later to win the Street Sense at Churchill by 5 1/4 lengths. He posted a fast work at Hawthorne before shipping to Fair Grounds for his final Lecomte drill.

“He’s outworked older horses, and every work has been better than the last one,” Rivelli said.

Regular rider Jareth Loveberry, having a strong Fair Grounds season, retains the mount.

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