Fair Grounds: Betting the Louisiana Derby day $1,588 Pick 6 carryover

Saturday’s $1 Pick 6 sequence at Fair Grounds is enticing for two reasons. All six races are stakes, and there’s a non-jackpot $1,588 carryover on the table.

The sequence includes the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2), a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier featuring a competitive 12-horse field.

Let’s analyze the Pick 6 in race-by-race fashion and assemble a $144 ticket:

Race 7: Crescent City Derby (1 1/16 miles)

#2 El Dinero (5-2) hasn’t missed the trifecta in eight starts against Louisiana-bred competition and has won three stakes, so he’s a logical threat to take home top honors while sticking to the Louisiana-bred ranks in the Crescent City Derby. But don’t overlook #3 Blue Eyed George (7-2), who has placed against open company in the Leonatus S. and John Battaglia Memorial S. on Tapeta. If he handles the switch to dirt, Blue Eyed George can spring a mild surprise.

Race 8: Tom Benson Memorial S. (1 1/16 miles on turf)

Multiple stakes winner #12 Oeuvre (5-1) has won 15 of 25 starts and boasts a 3-2-1-0 record over the Fair Grounds lawn, but she’s facing formidable rivals in the Tom Benson Memorial. The improving Chad Brown trainee #10 Delahaye (6-1) is a logical threat while stepping up in class, and #9 Spirit And Glory (4-1) enters off victory in the Albert M. Stall Memorial S. at Fair Grounds. Even recent Fair Grounds $50,000 allowance optional claiming winner #7 Flatter Me Silly (20-1) has the potential to challenge.

Race 9: New Orleans Classic (G2, 1 1/8 miles)

#3 Touchuponastar (3-1) has been trouncing Louisiana-bred rivals and looks fast enough to vie for victory against open company. The only other runner we’ll use is recent Mineshaft (G3) winner #5 Money Supply (9-2), who boasts a five-race win streak.

Race 10: Muniz Memorial Classic (G2, 1 1/8 miles on turf)

#13 I’m Very Busy (4-1) is the horse to beat after rallying to finish second by half a length in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), but 2023 American Turf (G2) winner #3 Webslinger (9-2)—sixth in the Pegasus World Cup Turf—could challenge on his best day. We’ll also use pure pacesetter #2 Strong Quality (6-1), who may shake loose on an uncontested lead.

Race 11: Fair Grounds Oaks (G2, 1 1/16 miles)

We’ll take a stand singling #5 Tarifa (8-5), who dominated the Rachel Alexandra (G2) over this track and distance by 2 3/4 lengths. The Godolphin homebred is 3-for-4 lifetime for high-percentage trainer Brad Cox and keeps getting better, setting the stage for a second straight stakes win.

Race 12: Louisiana Derby (G2, 1 3/16 miles)

#12 Track Phantom (3-1) has won the Gun Runner S. and Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds, in addition to finishing second in the Risen Star (G2). He’ll almost certainly vie for victory again, but we’ll back him up with #2 Hall of Fame (8-1), who finished a troubled seventh in the Risen Star, and #5 Catching Freedom (4-1), the Smarty Jones S. winner who closed nicely to run third in the Risen Star.

• $1 Pick 6: 2,3 with 7,9,10,12 with 3,5 with 2,3,13 with 5 with 2,5,12 ($144)

Good luck!