The undefeated High Limit tops a field of nine 3-year-olds in the 93rd running of the $600,000 Grade II Louisiana Derby Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course. The Louisiana Derby is one of four stakes on the richest day of racing in Louisiana history. The Derby, Grade II New Orleans Handicap, Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks and Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap offer a collective $1.5 million in purses.

Risen Star Stakes winner Scipion returns from his California base for trainer Patrick Biancone. In the Risen Star, Scipion was last throughout much of the race and seventh at the top of the stretch before unleashing a powerful move on the outside. Gary Stevens gets the return mount on Scipion, who is the early 4-1 second choice and will break from the seventh post position.

Kansas City Boy was a scratch from last Saturday's Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park because of an inside post position, so trainer Ken McPeek had to be pleased when the son of Boston Harbor drew the outside post for the Louisiana Derby. Kansas City Boy just missed in the Grade III Lecomte at Fair Grounds Jan. 15, finishing a neck behind Storm Surge, and was second in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park last month. McPeek has named Brice Blanc to ride.

Trainer Dallas Stewart has pointed Storm Surge all winter toward the Louisiana Derby. After the win in the Lecomte, Storm Surge finished third in the Risen Star. Stewart retained the services of seven-time Eclipse winner Jerry Bailey for Saturday.

Storm Surge and Sort It Out are both 6-1 on the morning line. Sort It Out, a recent majority purchase by Stonerside Stable following his win last month in the Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct, is the newest member of the barn of Bob Baffert, who won last year's Louisiana Derby with Wimbledon. Five-time Fair Grounds leading rider Robby Albarado gets the call.

The field for the Louisiana Derby, in post-position order with jockeys, includes: Sort It Out, Albarado; Storm Surge, Bailey; High Limit, Dominguez; Real Dandy, Donnie Meche; Indy Storm, Larry Melancon; Wallstreet Scandal, Rafael Bejarano; Scipion, Stevens; Vicarage, John Velasquez; Kansas City Boy, Blanc.

First post for Saturday's 11-race card is 12:30 p.m. CST. The Louisiana Derby is the sixth race on the card, leading off a $250,000 guaranteed Pick 4, with a scheduled 3:18 p.m. post.