New Orleans is abuzz with the Super Bowl in town. Those looking for a pre-game diversion outside of Bourbon Street can go 7 miles to the Fair Grounds for some exciting horse racing action. The Friday card features a 50-cent Late Pick 3 wager, covering races 6-8 in a one-hour span. Here’s a closer look:
FG 6th race (4:15 p.m. EST) -- A field of 10 Louisiana breds are entered with a combined 88/19-17-10 record at one mile, leaving little room for error. OAK HILL LG leads the pack with seven wins at the distance, five at Delta Downs and two at Evangeline. He could have added a Fair Grounds route victory to his resume if he wasn’t ‘stymied’ behind the back-pedaling leaders at a key juncture last out. RUNNINGINTHEMONEY dueled on the lead before fading as the 4-to-5 favorite in that same race, but he can awaken for a 21-percent claim barn despite moving from the rail to post 10. GYPSY’S SOULMATE drew 5-2 betting attention after he capped a 3-for-4 winning streak with the top speed figure of his career, now he offers more value to the Pick 3 ticket. DRILLING REPORT awakened on the class drop in his second start for new connections with a career-best 71 Beyer that translates well in this lineup.
FG 7th race (4:45 p.m. EST) -- Go deep in today’s featured 5-1/2F turf allowance that drew a full field of nine, with seven others waiting their turn on the also-eligible list. PETCOFF, one of four allowance winners in the main body of the race since August, repeated on the Fair Grounds lawn with 90-plus Beyers in his last two starts. THINK BIG impressed in his lone start on the grass two back, overcoming a slow start from post 11 with a sustained 4-wide run to win going away. ARTEMUS CITYLIMITS tries to recapture his glory days when he placed in the back-to-back Grade 2 turf sprints that helped put him on the brink of $500k in turf earnings. Linda Rice, the 2023 leading trainer in New York with a record 165 wins, takes over the reins of the 8-year-old. CALL ME ANDY raced in-hand through the turn and seized the moment against a troubled odds-on favorite to win a dirt allowance. He meets mostly older rivals but has license for continued improvement.
FG 8th race (5:15 p.m. EST) -- BUCKSKIN SUZIE ranged up outside of the 4-to-5 pace setter on the turn but was repelled by the Maiden Special Weight class dropper at the top of the stretch and got caught late for the place spot. She adds blinkers for her third start and should break her maiden for half the claiming price. If she doesn’t win, PLATINUM MIDNIGHT is a better price option. She ran second in her only start for $10,000 and faced nine next-out winners in her first five starts, four of whom posted Beyer speed figures ranging from 71-88.
Suggested 50-Cent Ticket
FG 6th Race: 4, 5, 6, 10
FG 7th Race: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9
FG 8th Race: 2, 7
Cost: $24
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