Fair Grounds Stakes Plays for Feb. 29

A pair of stakes races on the turf highlights the Saturday card at Fair Grounds.

Black Gold S.

The highly impressive #5 Hieronymus (7-5) will aim to make it two straight stakes wins on the course for conditioner Brad Cox. Godolphin’s homebred has gone wire-to-wire in three of his four lifetime tries, and he will be tough to upend with a repeat of his latest performance. Chestnut will be lone speed once again with Shaun Bridgmohan in the silks.

#6 Pixelate (4-1), also a Godolphin homebred, looms as the main late danger to Hieronymus. City Zip colt was a belated third in his 2020 debut at Sam Houston and seems poised for improvement second off the shelf. Stidham trainee will have clear sailing throughout from the outside post with Mitchell Murrill riding.

Black Gold Wagers

• $30 Exacta: 5 with 6 ($30)
• $10 Exacta: 6 with 5 ($10)

Dixie Poker Ace S.

The one-mile test attracted a field of 11 Cajun-breds in a wide-open event. Morning-line choice #11 Ninety One Assault (3-1) loves Fair Grounds with an 8-5-1-2 local mark, but drawing widest of all makes him a vulnerable favorite for Tom Morley.

#5 In the Navy (5-1) and #9 Budro Talking (6-1) are the pair I will be centering my plays around. The former is a multiple stakes winner who comes in fresh with Beschizza in the irons. Midshipman gelding will be prominent from the start off the short absence, getting first run on the deep closers turning for home.

Burdo Talking has a bit of back class to him, combined with the right post and running style. Karl Broberg trainee is 5-for-10 lifetime on the green, and he figures to sit a perfect trip just off the pace with Colby Hernandez in the stirrups.

Dixie Poker Ace Wagers

• $1 Trifecta: 5,9 with 5,9 with all ($18)
• $1 Trifecta 5,9 with all with 5,9 ($18)