Let’s Meet the Contenders for Saturday’s Grade 2 $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

#1 Shopper’s Revenge (Ricardo Santana Jr. // Steve Asmussen)
Impeccably bred son of Tapit and 2015 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria steps up into stakes company for the first time. Asmussen is a 4-time Louisiana Derby winner, including last year with Epicenter. He shares the race’s all-time wins record with Todd Pletcher. Shopper’s Revenge left his home confines at Oaklawn and takes on runners at Fair Grounds on a circuit that has been stronger than OP in several head-to-head matchups in 2023.

#2 Instant Coffee (Luis Saez // Brad Cox) * pictured above *
Joins Kentucky Derby early favorite Forte on a short list of horses who have won major stakes races at ages 2 and 3 in this year’s crop. Late-running son of Bolt d’Oro purposely bypassed the Risen Star after winning the Lecomte, looking for a fresh fire in the Louisiana Derby. His 3 career victories are most in the field and his $442,815 also leads the way. Cox won the 2020 Louisiana Derby with Wells Bayou.

#3 Curly Jack (Edgar Morales // Tom Amoss)
Runner-up to Instant Coffee in November’s Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, he disappointed in a distant, eighth-place return run in the Risen Star Stakes. Son of Good Magic has previously followed up the two worst performances of his career with bounce-back, second-place finishes in stakes races. Second-highest career earner with $421,589 banked.

#4 Sun Thunder (Brian Hernandez Jr. // Kenny McPeek)
Risen Star Stakes runner-up assumes top alumni status from that race as its winner Angel of Empire awaits the Blue Grass at Keeneland. Nice progression of 2-turn routes from 1 mile to 1-1/16 miles to 1-1/8 miles to Saturday’s 1-3/16 miles. Maternal grandson of 2007 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Maryfield. McPeek saddled 2002 Louisiana Derby winner Repent. Hernandez won this race in 2017 aboard Girvin.

#5 Disarm (Joel Rosario // Steve Asmussen)
No-match second to Arkansas Derby hopeful Two Eagles River in his 3-year-old return try at Oaklawn in February, but a solid-enough return for the impressive Saratoga maiden breaker after about 6 months. Asmussen is a 4-time Louisiana Derby winner, including last year with Epicenter – ridden by Rosario. Asmussen shares the race’s all-time wins record with Todd Pletcher. Rosario seeks a first-ever three-peat in the Louisiana Derby winner’s circle following victories aboard Epicenter and Hot Rod Charlie. With little pace expected, he could show more interest than many here.

#6 Kingsbarns (Flavien Prat // Todd Pletcher)
The most lightly raced entrant in the field has only 2 prior starts, but looks to have a pace advantage as one of the few front-runners expected. This $800,000 son of Uncle Mo has pressed-and-pounced to a perfect 2-for-2 record so far. He’ll be tested for class; note his ALW runner-up last out returned to finish 10th in the Tampa Bay Derby. Pletcher is a 4-time Louisiana Derby-winning trainer, sharing the race’s record with Steve Asmussen. Jockey Flavien Prat flies in from California for the first-time mount.

#7 Cagliostro (Christian Torres // Cherie DeVaux)
Hit the front only to be nailed on the line by Louisiana Derby rival Denington in a very strong allowance race on the Risen Star Day undercard at Fair Grounds. Oaklawn Park’s 2023 leading jockey Christian Torres takes the mount for the first time and visits from Hot Springs as Brian Hernandez Jr. jumps saddles to pilot Sun Thunder. If used aggressively, he could be more forwardly placed against this group than he shows in previous starts.

#8 Single Ruler (David Cohen // Keith Desormeaux)
After an 18-1 upset in Oaklawn’s Rebel Stakes with Confidence Game, trainer Keith Desormeaux aims for his second trail surprise in a month’s time. The Risen Star’s late-running, fifth-place finisher has just 1 win in 6 lifetime starts, but has picked up his game in his last 2 starts since adding blinkers. This barn orchestrated a 135-1 upset over this track in the 2013 Risen Star with I’ve Struck A Nerve, so you never say never.

#9 Tapit’s Conquest (Manny Franco // Brad Cox)
After a wide, fourth-place run in the Risen Star Stakes, jockey Florent Geroux will jump off this horse to ride stablemate Jace’s Road. Enter Aqueduct’s current leading rider Manny Franco, whose rather bare Fair Grounds ledger reads 6 unsuccessful mounts in 2019 on a single-day visit. He was a fairly live 5-1 on the tote in the Risen Star and could be a much higher price this time. Cox won the 2020 Louisiana Derby with Wells Bayou.

#10 Denington (Junior Alvarado // Kenny McPeek)
Risen Star Day undercard allowance winner seeks redemption on the Brad Cox barn after having lost in previous tries to that outfit’s Instant Coffee, Tapit’s Conquest and Victory Formation. Like Disarm, he’s a son of 2016 Louisiana Derby winner Gun Runner. Junior Alvarado, in town to ride Pegasus World Cup winner Art Collector in Saturday’s New Orleans Classic, takes the mount for the first time. McPeek saddled 2002 Louisiana Derby winner Repent.

#11 Jace’s Road (Florent Geroux // Brad Cox)
Even in skipping this race with Risen Star winner Angel of Empire, this is one of 3 Louisiana Derby hopefuls for champion trainer Brad Cox, who won the 2020 Louisiana Derby with Wells Bayou. Jace’s Road showed pace in a slowly run edition of the Gun Runner Stakes to open the Louisiana Derby series in December, wiring the field. He’s expected to try similar tactics here with Geroux opting to ride over Tapit’s Conquest. He was reluctant to get into the pace battle at Oaklawn with California blazer Arabian Knight and was left empty chasing in the Southwest. Improved tactics, a rider change and no pace rivals of that repute can help to right the ship.

#12 Baseline Beater (Corey Lanerie // Neil Pessin)
He’s the only non-Triple Crown nominee in the field and likely the longest shot on the tote. The Risen Star Day undercard maiden winner drops far, far back as per his norm and can be expected to do so again from the widest post draw. He’s 0-2 in head-to-head matchups with Single Ruler, who also will be a long price Saturday.