D. Wayne Lukas, the last trainer to complete a
Louisiana Derby and Kentucky Derby double with Grindstone in 1996, will
have a chance to replicate that feat this year with one of two colts under
consideration for the March 26 $1 million Louisiana Derby.
“I’m either going to bring the colt that won here the other
day quite impressively,” Lukas said, referring to March 12 Oaklawn Park maiden
winner Duca, “or I’ve got a horse called Quiet Assault that I’m
considering also.”
Quiet Assault, by Quiet American, broke his maiden first
time out at Hollywood
Park
last summer and did not race again until last month, finishing second in a
six-furlong allowance at Golden Gate Fields.
“He was on the West Coast with Jerry Hollendorfer and
I picked him up a month or so ago,” Lukas said.
Quiet Assault has had one breeze since joining the Lukas
barn, an easy five-eighths in 1:02 3/5 at Oaklawn on March 9.
The other possibility, Duca, by Empire Maker out of
multiple stakes-winning mare Tempus Fugit, broke his maiden at Oaklawn by 1
½-lengths in front-running fashion on Saturday and would be running back in two
weeks if he tried the Louisiana Derby.
“They’ll all work at the beginning of next week and then
I’ll make a decision,” Lukas said. “I’m going to bring just one.”
Lukas also won the Louisiana Derby in 1983 with Balboa
Native, who finished ninth in the Kentucky Derby.
Potential starters for the March 26 Grade II, $1 Million
Louisiana Derby
(3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles), compiled from Racing Office updates,
published reports and trainer and jockey agent interviews:
Probable: Risen Star Stakes winner Mucho
Macho Man (trainer Kathy Ritvo, jockey Rajiv Maragh); Lecomte Stakes winner
Wilkinson (Neil Howard, Garret Gomez); Risen Star fourth and Fair
Grounds allowance winner Machen (Howard, Edgar Prado); Fair Grounds
allowance winner Left (Al Stall Jr., Jesse Campbell); and Fair Grounds
maiden winner Majestic Harbor (Paul McGee, Corey Lanerie).
Possible: Oaklawn Park maiden winner Duca (Wayne
Lukas, who will send one of two under consideration); Hollywood Park maiden
winner Quiet Assault (Lukas); Gulfstream Park maiden winner Nacho
Business (Kelly Breen, Sunland Derby also under consideration); Aqueduct
maiden winner and Gotham Stakes fourth Nacho Saint (Breen, Sunland Derby
also under consideration); and Oaklawn Park maiden winner Truman’s Commander
(Allen Milligan).