Fair Grounds stakes plays for March 27

A trio of black-type tilts for Cajun-bred runners will highlight the Sunday action at Fair Grounds.

Race 10 – Shantel Lanerie Memorial S.

Fillies and mares will go two turns on the dirt in the initial stakes event. The Patrick Mouton-trained #9 Fort Polk (5-2) has compiled a fine 7-2-2-2 mark on the course and brings strong form to the affair, as well. Six-year-old bay has a strong turn of foot in a field with ample early pace, and she will be tough to deny late with her best showing under regular pilot Guzman.

Wager

$20 win and place #9 Fort Polk ($40)

Race 11 – Page Cortez S.

The ladies will dash 5 1/2 furlongs on the lawn in a good betting contest. The once-defeated #1 Ova Charged (6-5) has been excellent from five lifetime tries to date, but she has never run on the lawn and might be worth trying to beat at short odds despite being the towering class of the cast.

#5 Snowball (9-2) ran well in the stretch to be second in an allowance tune-up second time off the shelf, and the Sammy Breaux pupil might be moving best of all in the lane on Sunday. The six-year-old gray has proven to have an affinity for the surface, and I am expecting her to have enough pace up front to rally into late. The price is right with Colby Hernandez in the irons.

Wagers

$10 win and place #5 Snowball ($20)

$10 exacta box 1-5 ($20)

Race 12 – Star Guitar S.

#6 Highland Creek (7-2) rates as the top pick for conditioner Bret Calhoun. Broken Vow gelding had a solid prep for this when facing open allowance foes, and a move back in with state-bred runners seems like a very logical move to me. The bay has finished second in a pair of previous stakes tries on the oval and seems poised to earn his initial black-type trophy against this field.

#9 Ballinonabudget (10-1) has picked up all three of his lifetime wins on the oval for Lovell. The Sky Kingdom gelding has shown vast improvement this campaign, which includes two solid tallies on the surface in as many tries. Colby has the assignment atop the live longshot.

Wagers

$20 win #6 Highland Creek ($20)

50-cent trifecta 6,9 with 6,9 with all ($12)

50-cent trifecta 6,9 with all with 6,9 ($12)