Triple-digit longshot posts upset Louisiana Derby win

By: SPORTS NETWORK

New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Hero of Order, at 109-1 the biggest longshot in the race, edged out the favorite Mark Valeski to capture Sunday's 99th running of the $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds Race Course.

The 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby prep had 13 horses go postward. Mark Valeski and stablemate Mr. Bowling were the 3-2 coupled favorites. Hero of Order broke from an outside post with Eddie Martin Jr. in the saddle.

Taking the lead out of the gate was Comisky's Humor with Hero of Order pressing the pace from second. Mark Valeski, second in the Risen Star Stakes in February, was running in fifth through the early portion of the race.

The top two runners continued on the lead up the backstretch and into the final turn. Jockey Rosie Napravnik got Mark Valeski moving on the turn and moved up on the outside entering the stretch.

Hero of Order gained the lead entering the stretch with Mark Valeski second in the middle of the track. Martin kept his mount driving to the wire as the favorite cut into the lead.

Even though Mark Valeski was running at Hero of Order, the longshot held on for a half-length victory. Rousing Sermon rallied to finish third with Cigar Street holding on to fourth.

Rounding out the order of finish were Shared Property, Windsurfer, Afford, Z Dager, Fire Alarm, Finnegans Wake, Flashy Sunrise, Mr. Bowling and Comisky's Humor.

Hero of Order stopped the timer in 1:50.13 on a fast track.

On Thursday trainer Eoin Harty informed the track that Arm Force was not going to travel to New Orleans for the Louisiana Derby.

Owned by trainer Gennadi Dorochenko, the Louisiana Derby is the first stakes win for Hero of Order and just his second career victory in 14 starts. The win was worth $600,000 to bring the colt's earnings to $657,277. Hero of Order now has enough graded stakes earnings to qualify for the Run for the Roses.

Hero of Order did not break his maiden until the ninth start which came on Jan. 7. Two weeks later he was fifth in the Lecomte Stakes followed by a third-place finish in an allowance race.

The colt was then fourth to El Padrino in the Risen Star and on March 10 finished second in the Black Gold Stakes.

Hero of Order returned $220.80, $79.20 and $25.40. Mark Valeski paid $3.40 and $2.80, and Rousing Sermon paid $4.60 to show.