Risen Star Stakes Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2021 Risen Star Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2021 Risen Star Stakes is set for February 13 at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Risen Star Stakes Preview and Prediction
- Race: Risen Star Stakes
- Purse: $400,000
- Track: Fair Grounds
- Date: February 13
- Post Time: 7:18 PM (ET)
- Live: Risen Star Stakes Odds: Click Here
2021 Risen Star Stakes Handicapping
While we are still just under three months away from the 2021 Kentucky Derby, things are heating up on the qualifying trail. This Saturday features the (G2) Risen Star Stakes, the first of the series to award 50 qualifying points to the winner. Since it typically takes around 40 points to make the Derby starting gate, the Risen Star winner will all but punch their ticket.
Run at 1 1/8 miles on the Fair Grounds dirt, the Risen Star has drawn a full field of 12, including the first three finishers in the local prep race, the (G3) Lecomte Stakes. The 2020 version of the Risen Star had so many entries it was spilt into two races, this year there is just one.
Odds listed here are from Bovada’s racebook.
2021 Risen Star Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Midnight Bourbon Race Odds: 7-2
The winner of the previously mentioned Lecomte Stakes, Midnight Bourbon has never been out of the money in five lifetime starts and has two wins to his name. His record also includes a third-place run in the (G1) Champagne Stakes last fall.
In the Lecomte he went right to the lead and was never really challenged while getting away with some fairly slow fractions. For a minute it looked like he was going to pull away easy, eventually getting a 1-length win while scoring a career high 99 Equibase speed figure.
He’s trained by two-time race winner Steve Asmussen. Joe Talamo is tapped to ride.
2021 Risen Star Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Mandaloun Race Odds: 7-2
The third-place finisher in the Lecomte, Mandaloun was just a head out of second and more than 8 lengths clear of the rest of the field. He probably deserved a better fate, but broke from the gate bit slow and was then forced to race wide throughout.
Prior to the Lecomte he had won two straight, including a first-out maiden score at Keenland, and a seven-furlong win at Churchill Downs, coming from off the pace in both.
Trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux teamed up to win one of the two Risen Star events last year.
2021 Risen Star Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Senor Buscador Race Odds: 7-2
Unbeaten in two lifetime starts so far, Senor Buscador comes into the Risen Star off a decisive 5 3/4 length win in the Remington Springboard Mile. The runner up there was a very good horse named Cowan, who had previously run second in the (G1) Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
In winning, Senor Buscador also managed an eye-catching 107 Equibase speed figure. As the name implies, the Springboard is run at one mile, so now he faces the task of stretching out and carrying that speed another 1/8 of a mile.
He’s trained by Todd Fincher, while jockey Luis Quinonez will be in the saddle.
2021 Risen Star Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: O Besos Race Odds: 16-1
Several of the entries in the race are coming in off last-out wins at Fair Grounds, including O Besos, who has actually won two in a row at the track, showing steady improvement each time out. Last out he got up for a 2 1/4 length win going six furlongs.
He’s been very slow out of the gate in all three of his races, so that could cause a problem here, although he does have lots of extra distance to work with.
The trainer is Greg Foley, Marcelino Pedroza is tapped to ride.
Here’s My 2021 Risen Star Stakes Free Pick.
Although not knocking the top three finishers – including runner-up Proxy, also entered here – I didn’t find the Lecomte to be a very good race, with a time that came back very slow and all three more-or-less staggering toward the finish line.
That said I’m inclined to look elsewhere and play Senor Buscador for the win. I can’t ignore that 107 speed figure, I think his breeding suggests he can get the distance, and the stakes win over Cowan probably gives him an edge in back class as well.
Full Field: Risen Star Stakes Betting Odds
- Midnight Bourbon 7-2
- Mandaloun 7-2
- Senor Buscador 7-2
- Proxy 8-1
- Santa Cruiser 14-1
- Starrininmydreams 16-1
- Rightandjust 16-1
- Carillo 16-1
- O Besos 16-1
- Defeater 18-1
- Beep Beep 33-1
- Sermononthemount 66-1
What do you think of our 2021 Risen Star Stakes Race Odds & Predictions? Weigh in below with a comment. We welcome your feedback.
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