—Feb 17— Instilled Regard, the runaway winner of the Lecomte Stakes here in January, is expected to be made the favorite in the $400,000 Grade II Risen Star for three-year-olds in this afternoon’s ninth race. The Chad Brown trainee was simply devastating in his debut, running down the pacesetter and race favorite, Trigger Warning, then drawing away to a 4-length win.
The third- and fourth-place finishers in that race will also race in the Risen Star, but it is the invaders High North from Oaklawn and Noble Indy from Gulfstream Park that are most likely to give Instilled Regard a run for the money.
High North enters the race having just annexed the Smarty Jones Stakes while Noble Indy enters on the heels of a one-length score in a $60,000 Optional Claiming race.
Meanwhile, Snapper Sinclair, third in the Lecomte, and Principe Guilherme, fourth, will try to reverse their fortunes in the slightly longer Risen Star. Both horses made late moves that failed to menace the winner in the Lecomte.
Principe Guilherme will be ridden by a hot rider, Florent Geroux, who is currently second in wins behind Jose Ortiz and is winning with an amazing 43.8% of his mounts. Snapper Sinclair have Adam Beschizza in the irons. Beschizza is winless in four mounts.
Retro Horse Racing Game 