Fairgrounds 3/23 Louisiana Derby Card

Huge fields and perfect weather on tap for Saturday’s Louisiana Derby card tomorrow. I am playing long prices and hoping to catch a long price exotic or multi race wager for a huge score. Competitive deep fields so there is money out there if you get the right one. I’m playing a little over $1,000 pending tomorrows changes/scratches. Good luck

Race 1  MSW State Breds   The horses who have run more than once don’t look like much so I leaned some 2 timers and firsters. One I really like is #8 Malasong 8-1ml who was bet decent in his lackluster debut at 5.5 furlongs where he raced wide and showed nothing. Stretches out to 6 furlongs for Al Stall Jr and gets James Graham to ride. Have a feeling he is much better than he showed. $20 Win on #8, $5 Exacta box 8-9-12 Cost $30, and playing a .50 cent pk 4  6,8,9,12/1,7/2,5,9/2,9,10  Cost $36

Race 2 The Crescent City Oaks for state bred 3yr old fillies going 1 mile 70 yards   If she goes in this race (cross entered in the Grade II Oaks) then #1 Crescentcitypretty 9/2ml is my best bet of the day. She should be forwardly placed breaking from the rail and is 2 for 3 with an excuse in her only loss which was against some of these. A gate to wire score here possible at a good price. $50 Win bet #1

Race 3  New Orleans Ladies Stakes on the turf going a mile and sixteenth.  Looks wide open to me so I’ll take the comebacker #9 Sensitive 6-1ml. Off since last May but been working great for Brad Cox and raced good in only FG turf start. $20 Win #9

Race 4  State Bred AOC  Hoping for a pace collapse in this 6 furlong sprint and if so then #10 Greely Went West 15-1ml does fit in a meltdown race. Cuts back and does his best as a very late running sprinter and won’t be bet at all. $20 Win and $20 Place on #10, and a $5 Exacta Box 2,9,10 Cost $30

Race 5  MSW for 3 yr old fillies going mile on turf  Really can make a case for many of these so I looked for a potential break out lightly raced horse. Landed on #3 Sparkling Champagn 10-1ml who raced well at 5.5 furlongs off the turf debut. Hope she got some fitness she will need for this demanding mile and shouldn’t be bet much. $20 Win #3,  $1 tri box 3-5-7-10 Cost $24

Race 6  Crescent City Derby for state bred 3 yr olds going a mile and sixteenth. The 2 will be odds on in this one and tough to beat but I am hoping #12 Jus Lively 8-1 continues to show his race to race improvement as he continues to stretch out. Looks like he can run forever so will be coming late under Florent Geroux. The 3 is a price and could get a soft pace and have a shot. I’m playing $20 Win #12 and $5 exacta box 2,3,12 Cost $30 and starting a .50 cent pick 4   2,3,12/7,8,9,10/3,4,8/6,7,9,11 Cost $72

Race 7 MSW a mile on the turf. #9 Stage Ready 15-1ml finally gets turf after running up the track on his 2 lifetime off the turf tries. Wants turf and bred up and down for it. Some other decent prices I like in here also so playing an exacta box with some shots.  $20 Win #9 and $5 exacta box 7-8-9-10 Cost $60

Race 8  MSW going mile and sixteenth  #4 Box of Chocolates 12-1ml disappointed in only career start as the favorite but stretches out and Geroux stays on and may be overlooked. Been working well for 2 time out and should be forwardly placed from the beginning. $20 Win #4, $5 exacta box 3-4-8 Cost $30

Race 9 Costa Rising Stakes for state bred turf sprinters going 5.5 furlongs. #6 Fame Feather 12-1ml takes on the boys in this loaded sprint stake. She found what she excels at in 5.5 furlong turf sprints and is 4 for 5 at this trip albeit against fillies. Gets the big boy test here. Confident trainer move.  $20 Win #6

Race 10  The Grade II New Orleans Handicap  My huge price play of the day is #4 Noble Indy 15-1ml. He was a good early 3yr old horse and ended up beat down when trying the triple crown trail last year. Gelded and given time off, he got back to the races last month in a 6 furlong sloppy fitness tune up vs stud sprinter XY Jet. Working fast and I am trusting Pletcher with this move as if he wasn’t feeling good and back in form then this ship doesn’t make sense. No one will bet this horse off his last 4 PPs but if he is right and he is slightly better now then a year ago when he won the Louisiana Derby at the same distance then he can beat this marginal Grade II field.   $50 Win,  $1 tri box 3-4-6-10 Cost $24, and starting a pricy .50 cent pk 4 which is a big guaranteed pool    3,4,6,10/3,4,5,7/2,3,4,6/3,5,6,7 Cost $128

Race 11  Grade II Muniz Memorial Handicap on turf  #4 Bandua 12-1ml ran a good 2 on this track and has some nice works since. Maybe this 4 yr old is ready to become a prime-time turf runner. Always has had some hype and he hasn’t disgraced himself in some Grade I races either. I think this distance is what he wants and should get first run on the closers and hopefully good enough to hold them off. $50 Win

Race 12 The Grade II Fairgrounds Oaks  The 2 may be even money fav however in her last race she got an easy lead so I am hoping she gets pace pressure and gets nipped late. Playing a exacta and hoping #2 gets 2 and using some stalker/closers I like to get first. $20 exacta 3,4,6/2  Cost $60

Race 13 The Grade II Louisiana Derby for 3 yr olds   #6 War of Will has done nothing wrong routing on dirt and deserves to be an even money favorite in this race but I am looking for a horse that could improve by many lengths and turn the tables on him has landed me on #7 Mr. Money 20-1ml. He made a menacing move and tired late in the Risen Star but had to need that race after coming back from running a good 4 in the Grade I Breeders Cup Juvenile. He will be every bit of 20-1 or more but I really like him and am confident he gets a huge piece. $50 Win and $50 Place on #7 and playing a big exacta box with a few other longshots I like with the fav  $5 Exacta Box 3-5-6-7 Cost $60

Dang. Got nothing. Prices were there but I didn’t have the right ones. Close to putting together that late pick 4 for stacks but leg one knocked me out. Next up the Wood and Florida Derby.