WHEN you are looking at Derby trials at this time of year and the Magnier/Tabor colours come home in front, it’s not often the track is Fair Grounds.

But such it was last weekend, when the Steve Asmussen-trained Tiztastic prevailed in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby and booked his ticket to the Kentucky Derby.

The son of Tiz The Law coped with the longer distance of the $1 million Louisiana Derby, winning by two and a quarter lengths at Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots. “This horse is getting better at the right time,” Asmussen said.

The 100 points earned gives Tiztastic a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May, taking his point total to 119.

Tiztastic’s stablemate, Magnitude was sidelined last month with an ankle chip after winning the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes. Magnitude was also owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, the co-owner of Tiztastic with Coolmore partners Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.

Patiently ridden by Joel Rosario, as John Hancock set the early pace, Tiztastic thrived over the mile, one and a half furlongs as he came to head Built, who had gone for home early in the straight.

Fifth on debut at Saratoga behind leading juvenile Chancer McPatrick, with another Derby contender, American Promise just behind, Tiztastic was twice graded stakes-placed at Churchill Downs as a two-year-old, once behind leading contender Sovereignty. The long-striding colt was a dual winner on the turf.

The $335,000 Keeneland September buy was getting his first win of the season after runs in the Southwest and Rebel.

Sold for only $2,500 as a yearling, the Cinderella story of Chunk Of Gold continued, with the grey outbattling Instant Replay by a half-length for second.

Chunk Of Gold is also guaranteed a trip to Louisville, with a total of 75 points.

The third to fifth-place finishers, Instant Replay, John Hancock and Built earned Derby qualifying points and Built and John Hancock should both get a run.

Sierra sunk on return

LOCAL hero Touchuponastar ran out a comprehensive winner over last year’s champion, three-year-old colt Sierra Leone, in the $480,000 Grade 2 New Orleans Classic Stakes.

Sierra Leone, making his seasonal debut in the nine-furlong contest, performed well below his best form of 2024, finishing third, beaten four and a half lengths and never looking like getting to the winner. Hall Of Fame, the second choice in the five-horse field, finished second after tracking the pace set by the two and a half-length winner.

Touchuponastar, ridden by his regular partner, Tim Thornton, is a six-year-old gelding by Star Guitar, owned by former NFL quarterback, Jake Delhomme, and is trained by Delhomme’s brother, Jeff, and he controlled the pace through steady fractions over a fast track.

First appearance

Sierra Leone, making his first appearance since winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November, trailed the field early, which was his style, but when Flavien Prat asked for acceleration from the Gun Runner colt going into the final turn, Sierra Leone had little response.

“He never got into a rhythm,” Prat said. “He was struggling to keep up the pace. He made a run late, but those horses were all running away.”

Kentucky Oaks favourite Good Cheer easily improved to 6-for-6 and took the lead position on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks standings, with a victory in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks.

After breaking cleanly, jockey Luis Saez kept the Medaglia d’Oro filly well off the moderate pace and Good Cheer moved to the front off the bend and slowly edged away from Ahavah to win by three and a half lengths.

JUDDMONTE Farms also saw a possible Kentucky Derby contender come on the scene, when Final Gambit unleashed a devastating turn of foot in the stretch to win the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Stakes at Turfway Park.

The grey Not This Time colt, with regular rider Luan Machado in the saddle, found himself over 10 lengths last entering the first turn off a quick opening quarter-mile.

The Brad Cox-trained colt surge was powerful and he rushed to the lead outside the 16th pole and called pulled away to win by three and a half lengths.

“I was blown away by the kick,” Juddmonte USA general manager, Garrett O’Rourke said.

The Jeff Ruby had Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top five finishers, likely meaning both Final Gambit and Flying Mohawk have clinched a spot, though neither horse has yet raced on dirt.

Hong Kong

CRAIG Williams guided Cap Ferrat to a narrow victory in a gripping HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby on a day of triumph for Francis Lui at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Without a win in 13 Australian starts and three more in Hong Kong, the Snitzel gelding hugged the rail throughout in the 10-furlong contest and never went around another horse before holding off My Wish (Luke Ferraris) by a short head, with Packing Angel (Joao Moreira) a further head away third. Lo Rider, a son of Harzand was fourth.

Hong Kong’s reigning champion trainer, Lui dominated the meeting with a treble.

Formerly trained by Chris Waller in Sydney, Cap Ferrat was twice Group 1-placed in Australia behind Tom Kitten and Riff Rocket, but was sent off as a 25/1 chance after moderate efforts in the first two legs of the HK$52 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series.

Special win

“It’s certainly a special win. It’s such a prestigious race in Hong Kong. Francis rang me, he was at the Sydney yearling sales and I was on the Gold Coast and he said ‘Would you like to come ride Cap Ferrat?’.

“I rode him when he was in Australia and I liked the horse. He had good 10-furlong form.

“It’s great riding all around the world, Hong Kong is a place where I was very fortunate to get a contract and it made me the rider and the person I am today,” Williams said.