Fair Grounds Picks: Another Saturday Turf Edition on March 5

The Fair Grounds Racetrack returns for another weekend! March arrives ... and there are stakes races aplenty, as we head towards the Louisiana Derby! A trio of solid "stakes races" have come up particularly tough, and we have you covered with all the "Non-G" turf action on this card.  

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Most Likely Winner: (Race 6: Tommy Bee #2, 7/2):

A regularly scheduled turf race on the March card at the Fair Grounds is the Black Gold $75k for 3-yr-olds. This turf route normally brings together a nice group of sodbusters. I want to put my dollars and sense behind Brad Cox’s entry. This well-bred son of Medaglia d’Oro has great potential, and a powerful ownership behind him. Bob Lapenta and Madaket Stables have watched their investment progress, and he looks poised to move up into a “Non-G” like this. Cox is having another superb Meet, and when he pairs with Colby Hernandez, they can be lethal. With a strong turf pedigree, expect this one to be there in the end, as he gets back to a surface that suits.

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Win, #2

Off-the-Pace Play of the Day: (Race 4: Blessed Anna #4, 5/1):

In a short field like this one, with no deserving favorite present, it will be tough to catch a long shot. However, I like Shane Wilson’s 5-yr-old mare by Fast Anna for several reasons. First, she has made some steady progress during the Meet, and performed admirably in a trio of contests. Each time she hit-the-board it proved to be a mark of consistency. Secondly, her sire has good roots in the grass. I also like the fact that the connections are getting James Graham, a veteran who is also having a strong go of late. That is the best news ever. I cannot say I am particularly concerned about the other LA breds in here. This is turf racing, and the Stall Course is ready to host.

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Bankroll, Graduated Wager WPS #4 ($10-W, $15-P, $75-S)

Spotlight Race of the Day: (Race 8: Turf, 1 Mile, Edward J. Johnston Memorial S. $60k, 4+ LA Breds):

Looking over the form for this turf “feature,” I am particularly interested in betting this one because it offers some major value. With a full field of 11 drawn-in, the options are aplenty. Of course, we know that based on the M/L odds that Bret Calhoun holds a very strong entry in Who Took the Money #6. This gelding by Street Boss comes in with a nice record of 3 wins in his last 4 starts. He has taken on some of these rivals in this spot before, and handled them with ease. Deshawn Parker rode him effortlessly in his last 2 starts, and expect that he will be tough once again. I am up for looking in the clearance section for some bargains, and not just accepting this favorite at what is sure to be a short price. Let’s look to Gennadi Dorochenko’s Mr. Universe #11. This box car-priced runner by Tonalist is sure to be a double-digit number on the tote, and I like this colt. If you look back at his time last summer at the now defunct Arlington Park, he ran against way tougher competition than this. Just being in the Bruce D (G1) on the former Arlington Million card is something. The young Jose Vega gets the call in this spot, and he rode him nicely in a state bred ALLW Co. race back on 10 Feb. That win by-a-head showed moxie, and this is not one to underestimate. The now-4-yr-old has 2 wins @FG … As for one other entry that I would like to use, don’t forget about Ron Faucheux’s Mangelsen #7. The gelding by Big Band Sound is laden with turf in his bloodline, and he is a specialist on the lawn. The last time out was a frontend victory in an OC20kn2x, and the barn makes the switch to Jareth Loveberry. His riding is starting to heat up, and that makes this one very dangerous on the engine. Let’s use all 3 of these entries and see what we can put together.

Wagering Recommendation: $2 Trifecta Box, 6/7/11

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