How to bet the 2021 Magic City Classic Stakes

A total of seven Alabama-bred runners will go postward in the Friday feature at Fair Grounds, the $50,000 Magic City Classic S. The one-mile event features the top three finishers from the contest in 2020, and the race will go through that trio once again.

I have a strong opinion about #4 Foolish Steve (9-5) and will make him a major play for me. The five-year-old gelding was a close runner-up as the short-priced favorite last campaign, and I fully expect him to turn the tables on his foes on Friday.

The son of Mosquito has been very consistent this year, hitting the board in six of nine tilts with all three unplaced showings coming on the quirky oval at Delta Downs. Trained by the always dangerous Ron Faucheux, the dark bay can run on the turf or dirt, and he is quite adaptable to varying pace scenarios as well. He figures to track the pace from the second flight early on with Carlos Marquez in the silks.

Conditioner Ronnie Ward will saddle four of the seven in the cast, led by defending champ #6 Liken It (7-2). The gelding has just one victory after his upset in this race last campaign, with five straight double-digit setbacks in succession in advance of Friday. But the bay likes the surface, drops in class, and also figures to receive a favorable trip. He shapes as an exotics contender. Juan Vargas inherits the mount.

#3 Two Mikes N Doc G (5-2) is a hard-knocking six-year-old who garnered show honors in the race last season. The bay gelding has won or placed in six of his eight tries at Fair Grounds, and the son of Doc n Bubba G has room to improve making his second run off the claim for trainer Rylee Grudzien. A fast and contested early pace will aid the late runner with Devin Magnon signed on for the voyage.

I simply don’t see the other four in the cast having a major impact in the race, so I will focus on the fancied morning-line runners.

Magic City Wagers

• $30 exacta 4 with 6 ($30)
• $20 exacta 4 with 3 ($20)
• $10 trifecta key 4 with 3, 6 ($20)