Three Chimneys’ homebred 3-year-old colt Principe Guilherme, a blowout winner in his first two starts, will seek his first stakes victory in Saturday’s $400,000 Risen Star S. (G2) at Fair Grounds.
After winning his debut and a first-level allowance race by a combined 18 lengths as a 2-year-old, Prinicpe Guilherme had a rough trip in the Jan. 13 Lecomte S. (G3), but overcame the trouble to finish a valiant second.
“If he can move forward from a strong race like the Lecomte it will make all the difference,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I think that if we’re able to have success in the Risen Star with him then it will put us exactly in the position that we want to be in the three-year-old picture. No one misses the fact that it’s fifty points (for the Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge Series) to the winner of the Risen Star, which would pretty much guarantee a spot in the starting gate with them in the Kentucky Derby. If you can secure fifty points at this stage then you pretty much can look at the Derby and go backwards from there instead of chasing points.”
Principe Guilherme has arguably one of the best 3-year-old pedigrees you could ask for. A son of the multiple champion sire Tapit, he is the first foal out of Aubby K, winner of the Humana Distaff (G1) and Inside Information S. (G2). Aubby K sold for $2.4 million, in foal to Tapit, at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale.
The Risen Star is race nine on the Saturday program. Principe Guilherme drew post nine, but will move in one position following the scratch of Kentucky Club. He’ll be ridden by Florent Geroux, who was aboard in the Lecomte and his 12-length allowance win.
Post time is 5:03 p.m.
