Louisiana Derby 2023 Field, Odds and Picks for Saturday 3/25/23

The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues and the biggest point races of the Championship Series start March 25 with the $1 Million Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

The Grade 2 race awards the top 5 finishers Kentucky Derby points (100-40-30-20-10). At the completion of all the Kentucky Derby points races, the top 20 points leaders on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard earn a spot at the starting gate for the May 6 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

The winner of the 1 3/16 mile Louisiana Derby will earn enough points to qualify for the 1 1/4 mile Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on May 6. The runner-up will likely be in the Kentucky Derby as well.

Angel of Empire (13/1) won the Feb. 18 Risen Star Stakes -- a prep race for the Louisiana Derby. The jockey/trainer combo of Luis Saez and Brad Cox won the Risen Star and are teaming up again in the Louisiana Derby with the favorite, Instant Coffee (2/1).

The Louisiana Derby is worth watching, as 33 starters in both the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby have run in the Kentucky Derby since 2013 -- the most of any Kentucky Derby prep races.

Winning Kentucky Derby Prep Race Picks

Kentucky Derby prep winning picks in February and March on multiple races including:
- Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs (Litigate: 3/1)
- Withers Stakes at Aqueduct (Hit Show: 7/5)
- Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita (Newgate: 6/5)
- Holy Bull at Gulfstream (Rocket Can: 5/2)
- Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn: (Reincarnate, 3rd at 5/1)
- Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream (Forte: 3/2)

FanDuel Racing has you covered for the biggest racing days and events, and you can watch and wager on FanDuelTV. Saturday's Louisiana Derby is Race 12 and headlines eight stakes races. That includes a Kentucky Oaks prep in the $400,000 Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks for 3-year-old fillies in Race 11.

The Louisiana Derby has a post time of 6:42 p.m. ET.

Louisiana Derby Field and Odds

1. Shoppers Revenge (12/1)

Jockey: Ricardo Santana, Jr. - Trainer: Steve Asmussen

2. Instant Coffee (2/1)

Jockey: Luis Saez - Trainer: Brad Cox

3. Curly Jack (12/1)

Jockey: Edgar Morales - Trainer: Tom Amoss

4. Sun Thunder (5/1)

Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr. - Trainer: Kenny McPeak

5. Disarm (10/1)

Jockey: Joel Rosario - Trainer: Steve Asmussen

6. Kingsbarns (6/1)

Jockey: Flavien Prat - Trainer: Todd Pletcher

7. Cagliostro (12/1)

Jockey: Cristian Torres - Trainer: Cherie DeVaux

8. Single Ruler (15/1)

Jockey: David Cohen - Trainer: J. Keith Desormeaux

9. Tapit's Conquest (10/1)

Jockey: Manny Franco - Trainer: Brad Cox

10. Denington (12/1)

Jockey: Junior Alvarado - Trainer: Kenny McPeak

11. Jace's Road (12/1)

Jockey: Florent Geroux - Trainer: Brad Cox

12. Baseline Beater (20/1)

Jockey: Corey Lanerie - Trainer: Neil Pessin

Louisiana Derby Pick

We have a full field of 12 runners, including the four runners who raced in the Risen Star Stakes. Sun Thunder (13/1) finished 2nd a length behind the winner and Tapit's Conquest (5/1) finished 4th and 3 lengths behind the winner. Longshot Single Ruler (42/1) was 5th and Curly Jack (9/1) finished 8th.

The Louisiana Derby favorite Instant Coffee (2/1) won the Lecomte Stakes for trainer Brad Cox here in January, and he leads the field with 32 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. His speed figure took a big jump in the Lecomte after winning another KY Derby prep in Nov. as a 2-year-old at Churchill Downs. Two other EPO-trained Brad Cox runners to strongly consider are Tapit's Conquest (10/1) and Jace's Road (12/1), who won a stakes race at Fair Grounds in Dec. with a 101-speed figure.

Kinsbarns (6/1) is 2-for-2 and working impressively for trainer Todd Pletcher for his stakes debut. He posted a 100-speed figure when winning an Allowance race by 7+ lengths Bay at Tampa last month. This son of Uncle Mo will likely go to the lead and be a threat up front.

Pick: Kingsbarns (6/1) and Tapit's Conquest (10/1)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.