Las Vegas, NV -- The Grade 3 $175,000 LeComte Stakes will take place on Saturday, January 21 at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is open to 3-year-olds and will be run over 1 mile and 40 yards (8.2 furlongs) on the Fair Grounds' dirt main track. The LeComte is an important prep race for trainers hoping to take part in the $1 million Louisiana Derby, and potentially the Kentucky Derby later this year.

Horse betting action at Fair Grounds this weekend with the LeComte Stakes at OffTrackBetting.com

The LeComte Stakes is one in a series of races during The Fair Grounds' Road to the Derby Kickoff Day in January 21st. It is the first race in the Fair Grounds 3-year-old series that continues with the 1 1/16-mile Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 25 and culminates in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, contested at 1 1/8-miles on April 1. The LeComte is the 11th race on Saturday and its scheduled Post Time is 4:55 PM ET.

Traditionally the LeComte gives fans a glimpse into the talent that will represent Louisiana in the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May - the layout at the Fair Grounds and the style of race is similar to that of the first leg of the Triple Crown. Needless to say, this race is highly contested and it sets the stage for what is a long and extensive Stakes season at the Fair Grounds.

A competitive field of 13 will take to the track on Saturday with the much-hyped Exfactor coming in as one of the favorites.

The Contenders:

Exfactor - most recently won the ungraded Sugar Bowl at the Fair Grounds in December, and also won the G3 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs last July. Exfactor has all of the hype and the talent to get it done in the LeComte.

Capetown Devil - has been on fire as of late with wins at Keeneland, Churchill Downs and the Fair Grounds over the last couple of months.

Ted's Folly - has won six straight starts, the latest being Remington Park's $300,000 Springboard Mile Stakes Dec. 10, the restricted $50,000 Oklahoma Stallion Stakes by 5 1/4-lengths Nov. 18 and the $79,000 Oklahoma Juvenile on Oct. 28.

The Others:

Shared Property - won the G3-Arlington-Washington Futurity last September and was sixth in the G1-Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in early October.

Hammers Terror - won at Keeneland last October when breaking his maiden, then won at the Fair Grounds on Dec. 8th in an OC $50k/N1X event.

Seven Lively Sins - was second by three-quarter of a length to Motor City in the G2-Iroquois on Oct. 30th and fourth in the G3-Delta Jackpot on Nov. 19th.

Mr. Bowling - was third in the G3-Iroquois at Churchill and won the ungraded Dover Stakes at Delaware on Oct. 8th.

Adena's Chance, Dan and Sheila, Z Dager, Alexander Thegreat, Hero of Order and Chalybeate Springs round out what is a very competitive field at the prestigious LeComte. It should be a great race!

The field for the LeComte Stakes at Fair Grounds - Post Time of 4:55 PM ET.