How to bet the Black Gold Stakes

A dozen sophomores will travel about 1 1/16 miles on the Fair Grounds turf in Saturday’s $100,000 Black Gold S. The race is led by a pair of excellent turf performers in Mark Casse’s Grade 2 victor #5 Can Group (4-1) and Texas Turf Mile S. romper #10 Neat (3-1), both of which will be tough to upend with anything close to their best efforts. And while I feel that both will be in the mix late on Saturday, I have a horse that I have a lot of interest in at a price to challenge the top duo. 

Black Gold Wagers

• $8 win/place/show #12 Rock’n A Halo ($24)
• $12 exacta 5,10 with 12 ($24)
• $1 superfecta 5,10,12 with 5,10,12 with 1,5,10,12 with 1,5,10,12 ($12)

#12 Rock’n A Halo (15-1) admittedly had a mostly ideal trip in a sharp debut tally on the course for conditioner Tom Amoss, but it was the manner in which he did it that impressed me. By Catholic Boy, the dark bay was well off the pace early in his unveiling, responded to jockey Edgar Morales when roused approaching the final turn, and steadily drove home to defeat a decent prospect from the Brad Cox shedrow under the wire. 

His 89 Brisnet Speed number is the top last-out figure in the field, and the way he accelerated when given his cue going short tells me that he will appreciate the stretch-out in distance as well. The $100,000 yearling put in a swift half-mile drill most recently and runs for a conditioner who is solid first time sending one out in a route race. With speed directly to his inside, Morales will be able to get him over from the outside post to have a chance turning for home with great value. 

For the lower rungs of the gimmicks, I will consider an additional runner. #1 Gorilla Trek (12-1) will move forward on the move back to the green with David Cohen riding. The Phil Bauer trainee ran well in each of his two grassy tries at two, and despite modest current form on the main oval, he is better than he has shown as of late. The son of Curlin will save ground and make one run late. He is the lone fear to challenge my top trio, in my opinion.