Louisiana Derby Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2024 Louisiana Derby Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2024 (G2) Louisiana Derby is set for March 23 at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, LA. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Louisiana Derby Preview
- Race: Louisiana Derby
- Purse: $1 million
- Track: Fair Grounds
- Date: March 23
- Post Time: 6:42 PM (ET)
- Live: Louisiana Derby Odds: Click Here
Before we can give you our expert 2024 Louisiana Derby free pick, we have to break down the entries! In fact, we’d love to hear from you after you’ve given this post a read to see if you see an angle that we don’t!
2024 Louisiana Derby Handicapping
After a weekend off from the 2024 Kentucky Derby qualifying trail, some the top three-year-old horses in the US get back to work on Saturday racing for Derby points in the (G2) Louisiana Derby. The LA Derby will award KY Derby qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale.
A win for any of the horses in the race would nail down a Derby spot, with the runner-up also likely getting into the Derby gate.
The race has drawn a full field of 12 starters, and they’ll be asked to go 1 3/16 miles on the Fair Grounds dirt course, the longest of the US Derby preps and only 1/16 of a mile less than the Kentucky Derby itself.
Odds listed here are provided by the Fair Grounds track oddsmaker.
2024 Louisiana Derby Free Pick & Handicapping: Track Phantom Race Odds: 3-1
With 55 qualifying points already in the bank, Track Phantom has likely already secured his spot in the Run For the Roses and this will probably be his last start until the first Saturday in May.
As a committed front-runner with lots of good early speed, he’ll face a challenge here in having to get forward while breaking from the tough outside post. The real question, however, is how he’ll handle the added distance, as he gave up the lead last out and finished second in the (G2) Risen Star Stakes, going a slightly shorter 1 1/8 miles.
2024 Louisiana Derby Free Pick & Handicapping: Catching Freedom Race Odds: 4-1
Third in the Risen Star by when beaten by less than two lengths, Catching Freedom is one of the more lightly raced horses the field and will be making only his fifth lifetime start. So he’s also one that can continue to move forward as he gains racing experience.
He’s a mid-pack runner that has shown some ability to stay close enough to the leaders to be in a good position to strike as they make the turn for home.
Honor Marie Race Odds: 8-1
Yet another one coming out of the Risen Star, Honor Marie was fifth in that race, but had some excuse as he had a very wide trip the whole way, getting out as far as the 8-path through the stretch of that one.
In fact, the running lines for all four of his previous lifetime starts show that he’s had a wide trip in every one of them, including when he took the win in the (G2) Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last November. For him, the added distance is his friend.
Agate Road Race Odds: 8-1
After making four consecutive starts on the turf – a stretch that included a win in the (G2) Pilgrim Stakes – Agate Road was moved to the dirt last out in the (G3) Sam F Davis Stakes as the connections decided to try their luck on the Derby trail.
He rallied from way back in that one to grab the second-place money at the wire, but it should be noted that was against a much weaker field than he’ll be facing here.
Here’s My 2024 Louisiana Derby Free Pick.
On paper there’s not a lot of early speed in this race, and all things being equal, Track Phantom would be able to get to the front early in this field and be able to control the pace all the way to the wire.
All things aren’t equal, however, when he will have to use a lot of energy early if he wants the front coming from the #12 hole, and with a bit of a question mark around the distance, I think it’s worthwhile to try and beat him.
I’m going to take a bit of a shot and play Honor Marie for the win. He’ll be getting a new rider on Saturday, and with a bit of racing luck I’m going to hope he can finally catch a good trip. The Risen Star was his first start off a 10-week layoff, so he should be in better racing form for this one. If he can run back to the race he produced in winning the KYJC, he’s in with a chance.
Full Field: 2024 Lousiana Derby Odds
By post position
- #1 – Triple Espresso 20-1
- #2 – Hall Of Fame 8-1
- #3 – Antiquarian 12-1
- #4 – Agate Road 8-1
- #5 – Catching Freedom 4-1
- #6 – Awesome Ruta 30-1
- #7 – Honor Marie 8-1
- #8 – Next Level 30-1
- #9 – Real Men Violin 20-1
- #10 – Common Defence 6-1
- #11 – Tuscan Gold 8-1
- #12 – Track Phantom 3-1
2024 Louisiana Derby Racebooks / Betting Apps We Like!
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