After a night at Remington Park, we head south to New Orleans to the Fair Grounds. It’s Louisiana Champions Day and we will look at the final four races on their Saturday card. We have two state bred stakes on the turf and two on the dirt in today’s sequence.
Fair Grounds Race 7 – Louisiana Champions Day Turf Stakes
We have 11 Louisiana-breds entered for the first of our races here today. The Louisiana Champions Day Turf Stakes runs at an about distance of a mile and a sixteenth.
We do have two cross entries in this race. The 6 House Bourbon (15/1 ML) is cross entered into the second race here at the Fair Grounds. The fact that he is entered as an “also eligible” in that race may force him into this race. The 7 Benoit (10/1 ML) is also entered in the third race, which is a short field of five horses which has an odds-on favorite which they might want to avoid.
The 5 Who Took the Money (3/1 ML) is favored in this race. He finished fourth in an optional claiming race three weeks ago when we last featured Fair Grounds on a Saturday, His closing kick will benefit him with the way I can see this race setting up today.
The 3 Behemah Star (7/2 ML) won this race last year here. His connections have tried numerous times to get him on the turf but his past performances are littered with races off the turf. He will be second race off of a good performance three weeks ago. He figures to be close to the pace if not on the lead.
The 2 Mi Solution (12/1 ML) is second race off of a six-month layoff. He did not show much last month here at the Fair Grounds. He will be near the front as well, but with the two-post today, does he go for the lead with all the speed I’m seeing here.
The 4 Calicoco (5/1 ML) is first race off of a four-month layoff last seen at Evangeline Downs. He is a turf pro, but he is a horse that will be on the lead as well.
Joe’s Race 7 Pick
I’ll take the morning line favorite Who Took the Money here. He will have targets to close here. I’ll call this 5-3-2-4 with a $20 play on the 5.
Fair Grounds Race 8 – Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint Stakes
We had to the dirt for the first time in today’s sequence and we are going six furlongs. Nine fillies and mares in this state-bred test with a heavy favorite here.
The 5 Free Like a Girl (4/5 ML) comes into this race after winning three weeks ago going around two turns. She shortens up to the shortest distance she has run since January. She is 4 for 9 at today’s distance and is 21 for 45 lifetime. All she knows is winning and will try to add to her amazing resume. She is best suited to be a couple of lengths off of the lead.
The 4 Freeburn (9/2 ML) appears to be the speed of this race. She returned from a six-month break three weeks ago finishing second versus some familiar foes who return today. She needed that race and should be dangerous in this spot today.
The 8 Noneya (6/1 ML) was right behind Freeburn and ended up winning the common race three weeks ago. Her best running style appears to be closer to the pace in a stalking mode.
The 9 Six String (5/1 ML) closed well in that same right but finished third by less than a length. She showed that she can be off the pace if that happens. If she replicates the same effort as last time, she might have enough to turn the tables on her common opponents.
Joe’s Race 8 Pick
It is hard to go against a horse that is 21 for 45 lifetime. But she has not run at this distance on almost a year. I’m going to take a chance with Six String here. I’ll call this 9-4-5-8 with a $20 play on the 9.
Fair Grounds Race 9 – Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Turf Stakes
We head back to the turf for the Ladies Turf, and like the seventh race, we will go about a mile and a sixteenth on the turf course. In this race, we have 12 state bred fillies and mares entered, with up to 11 horses running with the rail out 24 feet today.
Favored in this turf test is the 10 Boomin’ Belle (5/2 ML). She comes into today’s race looking from her effort at Churchill Downs last month. She finished third in a starter allowance race where she was on the far outside. Where she is in the gate does not help her today as well as she moves move one gate to her left to the 10 hole instead of the 11. But she did need that race after a short layoff.
The 11 Eye of the Pharaoh (4/1 ML) draws the outside here, but she is 2 for 2 in her career so far. She won here two weeks ago in an optional claiming event drawing off impressively. The Steve Asmussen/Jose Ortiz combination has been winning a ton of races and I would not be surprised if this filly improves more here in her first stakes race.
The 1 Highly Wicked (7/2 ML) is second race off of the layoff after finishing third after a three-month layoff in a state bred stakes three weeks ago. She is back on the turf today and could be a dangerous “speed along the rail” horse.
Also on the front end will be the 8 Cheapskate Diva (8/1 ML). She does return from an almost four-month layoff here but she is 6 for 15 on the turf. She will be adding to the pace here in the turf feature.
Joe’s Race 9 Pick
This race may come down to who has the best kick if a speed duel develops. Though she is on the far outside, I’ll take Eye of a Pharaoh to win this race here after dropping back at the start here today. I’ll call this 11-10-8-1 with a $20 win play on the 11.
Fair Grounds Race 10 – Louisiana Champions Day Sprint Stakes
We have a field of 13 runners here to close out Louisiana Champions Day. The sprint is a six-furlong race on the main track.
The 11 Jack Hammer is the 3/1 morning line favorite here in the finale. He comes in for his first race in 9 months after impressively winning the Edward J. Johnston Memorial. This gelding who is 6 for 8 lifetime has been training very well for his return here today.
The 13 Bron and Brow (6/1 ML) finished third in his first race back in six months when he ran three weeks ago. The far outside post is not ideal, but if he can work his way inside enough, he should not be very wide like he was last time out here at the Fair Grounds.
The 3 El Dinero (9/2 ML) closed to just miss in a common race last time out. He is a closer that will hope for a speed duel up front. Also cannot ignore the fact that he has two wins and three seconds in five tries at the Fair Grounds.
The 1 Magnum (8/1 ML) shortens up to six furlongs from the two-turn test he was in last time out. I do not think he goes for the lead like his time out, but he has shown the ability to stalk and close in previous races.
Joe’s Race 10 Pick
I think that the 3 El Dinero will have the best trip here and should benefit from a post closer to the rail. I think he will be flying to win this race here to close out this card. I’ll call this race 3-13-11-1 and my play is $20 to win on the 3.
Best of luck everyone and I’ll see you in the winner’s circle!