Free Selections / Fair Grounds / Saturday

by Ed Meyer

posted on December 21, 2012 in Blogroll, Free Picks and Tips, Handicapping, Horse Racing, WinningPonies.com | 1 Comment >>

Well, Santa is on his way and we only have a few days left to enjoy some racing before our thoughts turn to spending time with the family. So before grandma brings out last year’s fruit cake, lets head on down to the “Big Easy” and get a little taste of Cajun racing.

Fair Grounds

Race #1 – Alw $43,000 – 6f – 2:00 p.m. ET

#6 – Divine Providence (9-5) = Kerwin “Boo-Boo” Clark in the irons, and this filly by Storm Passage looked to be a winner last out. But the rider struck the other horse in the face with the whip coming down the lane. The hit was not intentional, and this sticks out in my head as I had the other horse who was put up. Speedy gal, and she makes her second start off the shelf. I think she will have more stamina, and she’ll carry her speed down the lane.

Race #2 – Mdn Claiming $15,000 – 6f 2:29 p.m. ET

#11 – Delbert (9-5) = Rosie Napravnik in the saddle for Andrew Leggio. They came flying late last out, and finished up a beaten favorite at the same level. This is a cheaper gelding who showed some real promise at the quarter pole.

Race #3 – $75,000 Blushing KDHD – 1 1 /16 on the turf – 2:57 p.m. ET

#1 – Daisy Devine (4-5) = Brian Hernandez up for Andrew McKeever. Third off the layoff, and is 2/2 with wins over the FG turf. This daughter of Kafwain is droping in from graded company, and cuts back in distance. Add in four works from her last, and she is 6/7 ITM on the weeds. Be sure to box her up with #4 -Artemus Kitten (3-1). This looks like an ice-cold exacta.

Race #5 – Buddy Diliberto Memorial – 1 1/16 on the turf – 3:55 p.m. ET

#7 – Hotep (7-2) = Miguel Mena for Malcolm Pierce. Third off the layoff, and has three works over the FG oval. Every time he drops down to a lesser group, this guy fires quite well. Makes the poly to turf move from Woodbine, and sometimes this can tighten down all of the screws.

Race #6 – Sugar Bowl Stakes – 6f – 4:25 p.m. ET

#5 – Tour Guide (7-5) = B.J. Hernadez up for Bret Calhoun, and the barn is winning at 28% this meet. Here is a pure sprinter by Broken Vow, and 6f should be a welcome gift dropping back from 1 and 70 yards two races back. Team Calhoun should always be respected at FG, and this guy fits the bill in this heat.

Race #8 – The Bonapaw Stakes – 5 1/2f on the turf – 5:25 p.m. ET

#1 – Hollywood Hit (4-1) = Shaun Bridgmohan up for Mike Stidham. A very solid son of Cactus Ridge, and his progeny love the synthetics. Won impressively at Woodbine last out, and makes the poly to turf transition. I love his last work of 59.3 with a bullet. Go way back in his PP’s, and you will see he was the favorite against Wise Dan in the Phoenix at Keeneland. If he transfers his “A” game, it could spell trouble for the others.

Race #9 – The Letellier Memorial – 6f – 5:55 p.m. ET

#3 – Assets of War (6-1) = Mena in the driver’s seat for Neil Howard. Impressive winner two back, and made the jump in class, and stretchout at Churchill. A solid work pattern, and may return back to form sprinting today. Take a look at the mdn win, and she beat Irish Lute who is highly respected in here. It may even set up for a nice exacta box with #1 – Irish Lute.

The races may slow up a bit around the country, and now more than ever you need your E-Z Win Forms to find the hidden nuggets of gold. Once the presents are unwraped there will be plenty of racing action around the country. So, sit back and enjoy. The E-Z Win data may uncover that fat price runner who could turn this weekend into a stocking stuffer.

Happy Holidays to you and yours from Winning Ponies!