Pyro has fanned the flames of his Kentucky Derby hopes (Alexander Barkoff/Courtesy of Fair Grounds)

At the top of the stretch in Saturday's $300,000 Risen Star S. (G3), the headliner on Louisiana Derby Preview Day at Fair Grounds, the prospects for Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred PYRO (Pulpit) did not look encouraging. In his sophomore debut, the Steve Asmussen pupil was dead last in an 11-horse field, in traffic, after a slow early pace. Class, however, has a way of overcoming such obstacles, and Pyro had already proven that he has that intangible quality in abundance. Hammered into 4-5 favoritism in the wake of his runner-up efforts to champion War Pass (Cherokee Run) in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and Champagne S. (G1), Pyro justified his supporters' faith with a brilliant display inside the final sixteenth. Once regular rider Shaun Bridgmohan maneuvered him into a clear path, the dark bay colt exploded to win going away by two lengths, confirming his rank as a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender of the highest order.

"Guess his workmate did the job, huh," Asmussen quipped, alluding to Pyro's recent moves in company with Horse of the Year Curlin (Smart Strike).

Pyro was the first to reach the wire, but he was the last to break from the gate, and Bridgmohan took a hold of him to get him to settle. As the eventual winner bided his time at the rear, Rich Young Ruler (Victory Gallop) led the way through tepid fractions of :24 2/5, :49 2/5 and 1:14 3/5. Signature Move (Vindication) stalked in second on the outside, with the rail-hugging Visionaire (Grand Slam) in close attendance.

On the far turn, Z Fortune (Siphon [Brz]), Asmussen's other runner, charged into contention. Rich Young Ruler tried to hang on, but Z Fortune emphatically dismissed the pacesetter and opened up by 1 1/2 lengths at the eighth-pole. By this point, Pyro was still eighth. Shortly afterward, the swashbuckling Pyro took aim on his stablemate, and in a few rapid strides, he was long gone en route to finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:44 3/5 on the fast track. The mightily impressive winner returned $3.80, $2.60 and $2.20.

Pyro gets a congratulatory pat from Shaun Bridgmohan (Lou Hodges Jr. Photo)

Indeed, press box observers clocked Pyro's final quarter-mile in a razor-sharp :22 3/5.

"I did what I was told to," Bridgmohan said. "I was very patient. I was just looking for some daylight. When I got it, he gave it to me. I never hit him. I just tapped him on his shoulder."

Z Fortune completed the all-Asmussen exacta worth $11.20, and gave back $3.40 and $2.60 as the 3-1 second choice. Visionaire, who was under a ride turning for home, kept on resolutely to garner third, three-quarters of a length adrift of Z Fortune. Sent off as the third choice at 5-1, Visionaire paid $3.60 and concluded the $38.40 trifecta. Another half-length back came Unbridled Vicar (Vicar), who rounded out the $353.20 superfecta (8-11-3-5) at 47-1.

Blackberry Road (Gone West) was short of room in the stretch and wound up in fifth. Rich Young Ruler tired to sixth, trailed by The Darp (Proud Citizen), Peteadoris (Smart Strike), Bonanza (Jump Start), Signature Move and Prince Cortez (Repent). As expected, the Todd Pletcher-trained Check It Twice (Repent) scratched.

With this first stakes score to his credit, Pyro now sports a mark of 5-2-2-1, $696,718. The highly regarded colt captured his debut at Churchill Downs last July, then had the misfortune to run into War Pass in his three remaining outings as a juvenile.

The Kentucky-bred is the second registered foal from the winning Wild Again mare Wild Vision, who is a full sister to Grade 2 hero and sire Wild Wonder. Wild Vision has also produced an unnamed juvenile three-quarter sister to Pyro by Tapit, as well as an unnamed yearling colt by Gulch. This is the family of Grade 1 stars Olympio (Naskra) and Cuvee (Carson City) as well as Grade 2 winners Bien Nicole (Bien Bien), Early Flyer (Gilded Time), Fun House (Prized) and Call Now (Wild Again).