Disco Time Nails Built at Lecomte Wire, 20 Points Closer to Dancing in the Derby

By Kevin Kilroy —-

​1/18/2025 – Disco Time with jockey Florent Geroux aboard get a head in front of Built to win the 81st running of the Grade III $250,000 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir

New Orleans, La (Jan. 18, 2025) – Overcoming a troubled start and a wide trip, Disco Time came flying late to run down Built and Innovator in the final strides of the $250,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3) on “Road to the Derby Day” at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. With Saturday’s valiant win, the Juddmonte homebred earned 20 points toward a spot in the starting gates for the 151st Kentucky Derby.

In his first time stretching out to two turns, the Brad Cox trainee covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.07 over a “sloppy sealed” main track. Winning by a neck, the son of Not This Time outfinished the Gun Runner champion Built. Trained by New Orleans native Wayne Catalano, Built doubled his Derby qualifying points to 20.

“I did think he would be a little bit closer,” Cox said. “But it looked like he was traveling well enough and there was a two or three length gap between him and the horses in front of him so I was hoping he would stay clean and on the outside. Florent did a good job of not pushing the button and overreacting and the horse finished up well. An easier trip wouldn’t have been as taxing on him. When they’re able to sit and maybe run the last 3/8ths of a mile as opposed to breaking on top and running the entire way.”

Breaking from the outside, Disco Time bumped with an inner rival and scrambled for inside position near the back of the pack. Innovator broke sharply from the rail and secured pole position, clocking in honest opening fractions of :23.68 and :47.91. Golden Afternoon stalked in second along the rail with Built tracking in fourth to the leaders outside. Settling in tenth through the first half mile, Disco Time began to pick it up in the far turn while circling the field and was floated out at the top of the stretch. As Built made his move on Innovator and Golden Afternoon began to flatten out, Disco Time came rolling down the center of the track to get up in time over Built.

“That wasn’t the way we drew it up before the race,” Geroux said. “But he broke ok, and from there I saw a lot of horses going at it, so I just tucked in. I was able to save a lot of going into the first turn, which was important given the tough post we had. From there he relaxed beautifully for me and took the kickback very well. I didn’t feel like I was behind horses who were traveling great and felt like they were going to back up at me. I just took my time and made sure I was going to time it right. When he was ready I just tipped him all the way outside and made a nice, long run down the lane. I’m very pleased with the horse. I feel like I gave some ground to the runner-up (Built) who had a little bit of a better trip than mine, but my horse was able to overcome it. He proved he was the best horse today.”

Innovator stayed on for third, securing his first 6 points towards the Derby. Golden Afternoon ran fourth for 4 qualifying points. Beating out Magnitude for fifth, Maximum Promise rallied late to earn 2 points in his first start since breaking his maiden over the summer at Ellis Park.

Sent off as the 9-5 favorite, Disco Time paid $5.80, $3.80, and $3.20.

Keeping his perfect record intact, Disco Time’s third victory brought his career earnings to $291,960.

Along with Instant Coffee’s heroics in 2023, Cox now has won two Lecomte Stakes.

“For this horse and this point of his career, I thought it was a great steppingstone,” Cox said. “The Risen Star in February at nine furlongs is the kind of race that can propel your forward.”

The next stop on Fair Grounds’ Road to the Kentucky Derby is the $500,000 Risen Star (G2) on Feb. 15. Run at 1 1/8 miles, the Risen Star is the first Derby prep on the calendar to offer 50-25-15-10-5 qualifying points.

Additional Quotes

Jareth Loveberry, jockey of runner-up Built

“We got a really good trip, he (Built) just didn’t quite handle the (off) track as well. He just kept fighting through the mud, fighting through the mud. To run a second like that, given the way he handled the track, he ran a good race, even in defeat.”

Jamie Torres, jockey of third-place finisher Innovator

“If he can learn to relax more at the beginning, they won’t be able to get him. I could have had a ton of horse at the end if he would have relaxed. I don’t think getting the distance is a problem at all. It was just his first time going two turns. The horse was taking me all of the way. I took him off the rail after the first turn and was able to get him to relax. But I heard someone coming on the inside so I took him back to the rail and he grabbed the bit again. I started getting on him as a 2-year-old, but he’s a different horse now–so strong. I jogged him two miles yesterday and my arms are still burning.”

Axel Concepcion, jockey of fourth-place finisher Golden Afternoon

“I broke good and he put me in a really good position. I think he’s a nice horse. I think he handled the off track really well. He showed today that he has a lot of heart.”

Nick Vaccarezza, trainer of fourth-place finisher Golden Afternoon

“It was a good race. I’m proud of him. He was kind of even at the end. We’ll never know how it would have been with a fast track. I think maybe the grass will be his best surface, possibly targeting the American Derby.”

Lecomte Stakes Jockey and Trainer Quotes

New Orleans, La (Jan. 18, 2025) – $250,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3)
Brad Cox, trainer of the Lecomte winner Disco Time

“I did think he would be a little bit closer, but it looked like he was traveling well enough and and there was a two or three length gap between him and the horses in front of him so I was hoping he would stay clean and on the outside. Florent did a good job of not pushing the button and overreacting and the horse finished up well. An easier trip wouldn’t have been as taxing on him. When they’re able to sit and maybe run the last 3/8ths of a mile as opposed to breaking on top and running the entire way. I love speed. If they’re fast enough to get there and they keep going, they can separate themselves. For this horse and this point of this career, I thought it was a great steppingstone. The Risen Star in February at nine furlongs is the kind of race that can propel your forward.”

Florent Geroux, jockey of Lecomte winner Disco Time

“That wasn’t the way we drew it up before the race, but he he broke ok, and from there I saw lot of horses going at it, so I just tucked in. I was able to save a lot of going into the first turn, which was important given the tough post we had. From there he relaxed beautifully for me and took the kickback very well. I didn’t feel like I was behind horses who were traveling great and felt like they were going to back up at me. I just took my time and made sure I was going to time it right. When he was ready I just tipped him all the way outside and made a nice, long run down the lane. I’m very pleased with the horse. I feel like I gave some ground to the runner-up (Built) who had a little bit of a better trip than mine, but my horse was able to overcome it. He proved he was the best horse today.”

Jareth Loveberry, jockey of runner-up Built

“We got a really good trip, he (Built) just didn’t quite handle the (off) track as well. He just kept fighting through the mud, fighting through the mud. To run a second like that, given the way he handled the track, he ran a good race, even in defeat.”

Jamie Torres, jockey of third-place finisher Innovator

“If he can learn to relax more at the beginning, they won’t be able to get him. I could have had a ton of horse at the end if he would have relaxed. I don’t think getting the distance is a problem at all. It was just his first time going two turns. The horse was taking me all of the way. I took him off the rail after the first turn and was able to get him to relax. But I heard someone coming on the inside soI took him back to the rail and he grabbed the bit again. I started getting on him as a 2-year-old, but he’s a different horse now–so strong. I jogged him two miles yesterday and my arms are still burning.”

Axel Concepcion, jockey of fourth-place finisher Golden Afternoon

“I broke good and he put me in a really good position. I think he’s a nice horse. I think he handed the off track really well. He showed today that he has a lot of heart.”

Nick Vaccarezza, trainer of fourth-place finisher Golden Afternoon

“It was a good race. I’m proud of him. He was kind of even at the end. We’ll never know how it would have been with a fast track. I think maybe the grass will be his best surface, possibly targeting the American Derby.”

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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, La, Fair Grounds, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 15 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 153rd Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 112th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 22, 2024 through March 23, 2025. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.