Pick 3 of the Week: Fair Grounds Saturday

I have found a competitive trio of races on the Saturday card at Fair Grounds that appears to be a good wagering opportunity. Here is how I see the three races playing out. 

Race 6 Wager:

• $2 Pick 3: 1,5,7 with 1,7 with 3,5,6 ($36)

Race 6 – Allowance 

A nice group of eight sophomores will spurt six panels on the main oval in a challenging opening leg of the sequence. #1 Hay Jude (7-2) will face open foes for the initial time in the dash and the Tom Amoss charge should be up to the task as my top pick. The Aurelius Maximus sophomore faced some pretty talented Cajun-bred youngsters in 2024 and will be moving best of all late in this dash. 

I’ll include two additional contenders in the field, as well. #5 Lil Muggs (4-1) has run a trio of good ones to commence his career for conditioner Greg Foley and wouldn’t be a surprise against this group. This Upstart colt retreats from a one-mile contest last out and will be rallying late beneath Jose Ortiz. Recent maiden winner #7 Face the Future (9-2) graduated with ease on the oval and will be especially tough with any improvement off of that showing for Daniel Simpson. 

Race 7 – Allowance

The middle leg of the wager is where the best value is, in my opinion. A pair of runners intrigue me most in the about one-mile test on the lawn. Michael Stidham’s #7 Gray’s Fable (9-2) has the best closing punch in a field with ample early pace, and the 10-year-old gets the nod as my leading selection in the group. The Gio Ponti gelding comes in fresh with Axel Concepcion taking the reins. 

#1 Calicoco (8-1) is the speed of the speed from the rail and sports a 4-3-0-1 mark on the Fair Grounds green for conditioner Shane Wilson. If the five-year-old can get clear early under realistic fractions, then he will be dangerous late at a nice number beneath Jose Guerrero. 

Race 8 – Gary P. Palmisano Memorial S. 

#3 Geaux Sugar (9-5) has wired two stakes fields on the course in succession and gets a nice draw to try to take this group all the way on the front beneath Mitchell Murrill. The Half Ours gelding has been in fine form since being claimed by this outfit in the spring and looms large for Keith Bourgeois. 

#5 El Dinero (9-2) is theE late danger in the field and dons a 6-2-3-0 mark at Fair Grounds in his lifetime. This El Deal four-year-old has good value with James Graham in the stirrups. Three-time stakes winner #6 Jack Hammer (2-1) is 5-for-8 on the oval and doesn’t need a lot of improvement for conditioner Bret Calhoun.