Awesome Road

Like one of those old split-flap mechanical signs at train stations, everyone knows that in the new year the 'Run for the Roses' leaderboard will fluctuate. Week-to-week, the top points begin to compound--from 20 to the winner Saturday and going as high as 100 to the winner come April. The trail to Derby 150 begins a much steeper ascent on Saturday at Fair Grounds in New Orleans as the GIII Lecomte S. offers 3-year-old colts 20-10-6-4-2 that can be applied to Bank of Churchill. This year's edition pits a field...

7th-Ellis, $70,000, Msw, 8-27, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.80, ft, 2 3/4 lengths. AWESOME ROAD (c, 2, Quality Road--Orate, by A.P. Indy) was bet down to even money and had plenty of early speed, racing between foes in a three-pronged battle for the lead. With the best closing kick of the trio, the $600,000 Keeneland September grad was left to contend only with Stronghold (Ghostzapper) into the lane and turned that rival back in the final sixteenth to score by 2 3/4 lengths. Chryso Alogo (Bolt d'Oro) checked in fourth while Loma...

5th-ELP, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:45 p.m. Shadwell's MUAZARAH (Into Mischief) leads a battle of the homebreds in Sunday's fifth race at Ellis Park. The Todd Pletcher trainee is out of a half-sister to the dam of a pair of prolific European runners in MG1SW Baaeed (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who debuted at Shadwell Stud this season, and MG1SW Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Just to his outside, Unreasonable (Honor Code), racing in the Calumet Farm colors, is out of a half to both GISW Geri (Theatrical {Ire})...