Hard Spun one to beat at Fair Grounds

By: SPORTS NETWORK

New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Highly-regarded Hard Spun leads a field of seven three-year-olds for Saturday's $100,000 Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. The one-mile race is an important stepping stone to the Louisiana Derby on March 10.

Owned by Fox Hill Farms, Hard Spun has already received publicity for his three winning starts. The Pennsylvania-bred colt broke his maiden in his first start at Delaware Park and followed that with a victory at Delaware in the Port Penn Stakes.

Hard Spun closed 2006 with a convincing win at Philadelphia Park in the Pennsylvania Nursery, a stakes that Smarty Jones won in 2003. He is trained by Larry Jones and is currently stabled at Oaklawn Park.

Hard Spun will start from post 3 in the Lecomte with regular rider Mario Pino. The three-year-old has earned $100,970 in his three starts.

Breaking from the far outside post in the Lecomte will be Sugar Bowl Stakes winner Teuflesberg. Veteran jockey Robby Albarado will be in the saddle for co-owner and trainer Jamie Sanders.

Teuflesberg has three wins in 11 starts for $157,931.

Two-time winner Makeithapencaptain will start from the inside post on Saturday. The colt will be making his first start in a stakes race for owner Robert Beck and trainer Bret Calhoun.

Makeithapencaptain will be ridden for the first time by Corey Lanerie. All three starts for the three-year-old came in Chicago where he won his last two starts. He has earnings of $37,770.

Completing the entries in post position order for the Lecomte Stakes are Citi Smoke, Izzie's Halo, Beta Capo and Tony Terrific.

Post-time for the Lecomte Stakes is set for 5:22 p.m. (et).