DeVaux Talks Trio, Updates on Various Louisiana Derby Preview Day Stakes Entries

By Kevin Kilroy —-

DeVaux Talks Trio, Updates on Various Louisiana Derby Preview Day Stakes Entries

Estimated $1 million All Stakes Late Pick Five on Louisiana Derby Preview Day

NEW ORLEANS (Feb. 12, 2026) — Trainer Cherie DeVaux will send out a trio of stakes runners on Louisiana Derby Preview Day at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, led by Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable’s homebred Golden Tempo in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes.

Perfect in two starts, Golden Tempo enters the Risen Star off a dramatic last-to-first rally in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes. The colt surged up the rail to defeat his stablemate Mesquite, earning 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. Drawn in post 2, Golden Tempo will reunite with meet-leading jockey Jose Ortiz.

Golden Tempo jogged Thursday morning and schooled in the paddock Wednesday alongside his stablemates entered for Saturday.

“He’s very straightforward,” DeVaux said. “He doesn’t do anything wrong — he doesn’t try to bite or act up. He’s really been more into his training (since the Lecomte). He’s still learning, though. In the Lecomte, he paused at the eighth pole, waited, and then took off again. At this level, you just can’t afford to do that.”

DeVaux will also saddle Powered by Family in the Grade 2, $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes. The filly broke her maiden impressively in January over a muddy track going two turns.

“It wasn’t the mud that moved her up,” DeVaux said. “It was the two turns.”

In the $250,000 Fair Grounds Stakes presented by Horse Racing Nation, Klein Racing’s Brilliant Berti will make his first start of his 5-year-old campaign. The graded stakes winner has earned more than $2.4 million and will be making his third local start.

“We’re just getting him started,” DeVaux said.

Last year, Brilliant Berti began his season in the Muniz Memorial at 1 1/8 miles, finishing eighth.

Built Runs in Colonel Power Stakes

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Built, cross-entered in a pair of races at Turfway Park, will run in Saturday’s Colonel Power Stakes at Fair Grounds, trainer Wayne Catalano confirmed. Built earned a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate last year but opted for the Pat Day Mile. He returned in December with a dominant six-furlong allowance victory locally. This will be his first try on the turf.

“He’s doing fantastic,” Catalano said. “We’re excited to try him on the turf. His stride and his pedigree — I think he’ll like it.”

Shippers’ Status

Cross-entered in the Post Time Stakes at Laurel Park, Cadet Corps will run in the Grade 3, $250,000 Mineshaft Stakes presented by Hagyard. He arrived Wednesday.

Trainer Chad Brown has arrived at Fair Grounds, and his trio of Paladin (Risen Star), Time to Win (Mineshaft) and Oversubscribed (Albert M. Stall Memorial) made their first move over the track Thursday morning.

Entered in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes, Just Singing is on the grounds and will jog Friday morning. Trainer Kent Sweezey is scheduled to arrive Thursday night.

Todd Pletcher’s contingent is set to arrive Thursday, including Courting, a $5 million purchase who will run in the Risen Star, his first race since finishing fourth in the Remsen Stakes (G3); Louisiana Stakes winner Accelerize (Mineshaft); Agate Road (Fair Grounds Stakes); and Feather Boa (Albert M. Stall Memorial).

Paco Lopez Update

Agent Jose Gracia confirmed that jockey Paco Lopez suffered a broken ankle in a spill aboard Betty’s Dance in Race 8 on Saturday. Lopez will miss the remainder of the Fair Grounds meet. No timetable has been set for his return, though Gracia said Lopez is recovering well and plans remain in place for him to return to Colonial Downs this summer to defend his riding title.

Estimated $1 million All Stakes Late Pick Five on Louisiana Derby Preview Day

Saturday’s wagering menu is highlighted by an estimated $1 million All Stakes Late Pick Five spanning Races 8-12, a challenging sequence that includes four graded stakes. The first leg is the $100,000 Albert M. Stall Memorial for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf, and the sequence concludes with the Grade 2, $500,000 Risen Star Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, a key prep for Kentucky Derby 152. The multi-race wager features a low 15% takeout.

In total, three Pick 5 wagers will be offered Saturday, with the Early Pick 5 beginning in Race 1 and the Middle Pick 5 in Race 4.

The Crescent City 6 begins in Race 7.

Three Pick 4 wagers also will be available: the Early Pick 4 in Race 2, the Middle Pick 4 in Race 5 and the Late Pick 4 in Race 9.

Live racing this week at Fair Grounds will be conducted Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 12-14, with the track dark Sunday, Feb. 15, before resuming for the traditional Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras programs.

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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 13 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 154th Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 113th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 20, 2025 through March 22, 2026. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.