Risen Star Stakes


The Risen Star Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run annually in February at the Fair Grounds Race Course. In 2020, the distance was increased from miles to miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it currently offers a purse of $400,000. The American Graded Stakes Committee upgraded the race to Grade II from Grade III in 2010.
The race is the major prep for the Louisiana Derby and is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

History

Previously known as the Louisiana Derby Trial Stakes, in 1989 it was renamed to honor locally owned Risen Star who won the race in 1988 and went on to win the Preakness and Belmont Stakes and be voted the 1988 Eclipse Award for American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse.
The Risen Star has not produced a winner of the Kentucky Derby. However, it has produced two winners of the second leg of the American Triple Crown: War of Will and Master Derby. It has also produced two winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic: Gun Runner and Mucho Macho Man.
The Risen Star Stakes was run in two divisions in 1989, 1993, 1995 and 2020.

Records

Speed record:
A # designates that the race was run in two divisions
The 2006 race was held at Louisiana Downs.

Earlier winners