ONCE upon a time, less than 10 years ago, the Derby at Epsom had a favourite by the name of Kingsbarns.

Now a colt of the same name has a shot at the Derby in Kentucky.

The Kentucky Derby trials continued stateside with the Grade 2 $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds providing a virtually all the way winner in the Todd Pletcher-trained Uncle Mo colt, Kingsbarns.

After opening his career with two victories in Florida, Kingsbarns, in the colours of Spendthrift Farm, stepped up in class drawing off in the stretch to post a three and a half-length success.

The one flaw in the effort was that the time was slow. After breaking well under Flavien Prat, Kingsbarns had speedy Shopper’s Revenge just head him early.

Kingsbarns cruised through a quarter-mile in 24.71secs, a half in 49secs and six furlongs in a slow 1m14.69secs in the mile, a furlong and a half test.

Coming out of the far turn, Kingsbarns responded to a challenge from Jace’s Road, quickly putting the race away, to finish in 1m57.33secs, the slowest time in the race in four runnings.

Kingsbarns earned 100 qualifying points to the winner for Churchill Downs in May.

“He told me that the race was pretty straightforward so he jumped well and I was able to get myself in a comfortable spot,” Prat reported at the track.

“It was a lot to ask to go to a graded stakes going one and three 16th (miles) for the first time in his third career start,” Pletcher admitted.

“He responded in a big way.”

Pletcher also has the two-year-old champion Forte and Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby winner Tapit Trice in preparation for the Derby.

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Disarm took second, earning him 40 qualifying points for the Derby and also earning Derby points was Jace’s Road in third, gaining 30 points.

Instant Coffee favourite after recent graded stakes wins, flattened out after a wide second-turn rally and finished sixth.

Like Justify, Kingsbarns did not race at two and won his maiden at a mile at Gulfstream Park before a seven and three-quarter-length score in an allowance claiming race on February 12th at Tampa Bay Downs round two turns.

Spendthrift purchased Kingsbarns for $800,000 at The Gulfstream Sale in 2022 at Fasig-Tipton, where he was consigned by Tom McCrocklin who had purchased him the previous year for $250,000 at The Saratoga Sale at Fasig-Tipton.