NEW ORLEANS (AP) -Pyro muscled his way to the lead and ran off with a three-length victory in the $600,000 Louisiana Derby on Saturday, reaffirming his status as a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby.
In the toughest Derby prep yet, Pyro made easy work of eight rivals for his second impressive win of the year, both at the Fair Grounds.
This time, the 3-year-old colt didn't need a breathtaking last-to-first run in the stretch like he did in the Risen Star on Feb. 9. Under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, Pyro waited patiently and moved through an opening between the leaders in the stretch before cruising to his third win in six career starts.
``He put himself in the race and didn't leave it all to do in front of him,'' winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. ``He handled it extremely well. He encountered traffic and went to the wire with a lot of energy.''
The victory gives Asmussen a top Derby contender for the second year in a row. He also trains 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin, who was third in the Derby, won the Preakness and finished second in the Belmont Stakes.
Pyro covered the 1 1-16 miles in 1:44.44 on an unseasonably cool day, with temperatures in the low 50s.
Derby hopefuls Tale of Ekati and Majestic Warrior, making their first starts of the year, never seriously challenged and finished out of the money.
Pyro, the 4-5 favorite, returned $3.60, $2.80 and $2.20, My Pal Charlie, who set the early pace, finished second at 60-1 odds and paid $26 and $10.80. Yankee Bravo, who came into the race with a 3-0 record, was third and returned $5.20.
Blackberry Road was fourth, followed by Stevil, Tale of Ekati, Majestic Warrior, J Be K and Unbridled Vicar.
Asmussen said Pyro's final Derby prep will be the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on April 12. The race is run over Polytrack, an artificial surface that all but eliminates weather concerns.
``He's such a nice horse to ride. It was merely push button,'' Bridgmohan said. ``He waited for the hole to open up and when I pointed him to it he just went about his business. Pretty professional.''
Pyro's only losses have come against undefeated War Pass, including second-place finishes in the Champagne Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. War Pass puts his 6-0 mark on the line next Saturday in the Tampa Bay Derby.
Pyro collected $360,000 for the win, boosting his career earnings to $1,056,718 for owner Ron Winchell of Winchell Thoroughbreds.
In a Derby prep at Aqueduct in New York, Visionaire ($11) made a last-to-first run in the slop and edged Texas Wildcatter by a nose. The colt has won three of five starts and gives trainer Michael Matz a promising Derby contender.
Earlier at the Fair Grounds, Proud Spell ($5.80) upset previously unbeaten Indian Blessing in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks, Circular Quay ($15) outdueled Grasshopper by a neck in the $500,000 New Orleans Handicap, and Proudinsky ($9.60) captured the $500,000 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap on the turf.
