LQHBA Sale Futurity(RG1) winner Jrs Taylors Runnaway will make his next start in Sunday's $87,506 Mardi Gras Derby trials at Louisiana Downs.

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BOSSIER CITY, LA--FEBRUARY 23, 2018--Thirty state-bred sophomores, headed by Rosalio Espinoza’s JRS Taylors Runnaway, have been entered in Sunday’s 400-yard Mardi Gras Derby (R) trials at Louisiana Downs.

A sorrel son of Sir Runaway Dash trained by Martin Trejo, JRS Taylors Runaway is the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the second of four trials. The gelding has won four of eight starts, including last year’s $297,000 LQHBA Sale Futurity (RG1) at Fair Grounds, and he has earned $246,589. He made his 3-year-old debut with a second-place finish, a half of a length behind winner Second Down Leaving, in the January 20, $25,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes (R) at Louisiana Downs.

JRS Taylors Runaway drew post 2 and will be ridden by Jorge Linares.

TF El Whiskey, a three-time graded futurity finalist last year, drew post 8 and will be ridden by Juan D. Marquez in the fourth heat. Trained by Carlos Saldivar for owner Rogelio Marquez Jr., the gray Sir Runaway Dash colt has banked $130,652 from eight races, and he ran second in a pair of futurities at Delta Downs, including the 350-yard, $705,000 Lee Berwick Futuriy (RG1) on July 8.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the March 17, $87,506 Mardi Gras Derby final.

The Mardi Gras Derby trials, and all Louisiana Downs races, can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.