Gun Runner rallies for Risen Star victory; Venus Valentine upsets Rachel Alexand

Gun Runner rallies for Risen Star victory; Venus Valentine

upsets Rachel Alexandra at 74-1

Gun Runner rallied late in Saturday's Risen Star (G2) on Fair Grounds' Louisiana

Derby Preview Day to post a half-length victory in his sophomore debut. The

once-beaten colt had jockey Florent Geroux aboard for trainer Steve Asmussen as

he took the win over 40-1 longshot Forevamo with near 3-1 second choice Mo Tom

in third.

Venus Valentine provided a nice 74-1 upset in the TwinSpires.com Rachel

Alexandra (G2) a couple races before the Risen Star. The Tom Amoss trainee

rallied up the rail from last to score her first stakes victory by a length.

Earlier on Fair Grounds' Louisiana Derby Preview Day,

Majestic Harbor withstood a late run from Eagle to score in the Mineshaft H.

(G3) and Cinco Charlie captured the Duncan F. Kenner S. on the main track.

Chocolate Ride held off all comers to take the Fair Grounds H. (G3) and Cash

Control prevailed in the Daisy Devine S. in Fair Grounds' turf stakes.

Ed DeRosa discussed what we can learn from Risen Star Stakes Day following

all the action at Fair Grounds on Saturday.

Paulina's Love just kept her neck in front of the rallying Stormy Lucy to take

the Buena Vista (G2) on the West Coast at Santa Anita Park.

A pair of

sophomores put in works ahead of the March 12 San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita

on Saturday. Danzing Candy and Uncle Lino each took to the track, with

the former getting five furlongs in 1:00.20 and the latter clocking a half in

:47.80.

Also working on Saturday was

multiple Grade 1 heroine Sheer Drama, who recorded three furlongs at Gulfstream

Park in :35.63 in her first move since a fourth-placing in last October's

Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

On Friday,

Royal Ascot winner Acapulco returned to action in what amounted to a paid

workout at Tufway Park. The Wesley Ward trainee made her sophomore debut in

Turfway's 9TH race and prevailed by 1 1/2 lengths.

In this week's

Dispatch Box, Kellie Reilly discussed champion Tepin's invite to the Queen

Anne (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot in June and Frank Conversation targeting the UAE

Derby (UAE-G2) following his El Camino Real Derby (G3) triumph.