How to bet the 2023 Fair Grounds Stakes

Two Emmys wins the Muniz Memorials (Photo by Hodges Photography/Amdanda Hodges Weir)

February 16th, 2023

A competitive field of eight will travel about 1 1/8 miles on the lawn in Saturday’s $150,000 Fair Grounds S. (G3).

Grade 1 victor #2 Two Emmys (3-1) is the inside speed of the race and figures to get a nice trip on the front end throughout the contest with regular rider James Graham in the silks. The seven-year-old son of English Channel had a good prep for this event when a fine runner-up Colonel E. R. Bradley S. off the long layoff most recently, and the gelding will improve second time off the shelf on Saturday.

#9 Gentle Soul gets up for the win in the Colonel E. R. Bradley Stakes from @fairgroundsnola under @ReyGutiJockey to pay $21.80.

The #TwinSpiresReplay 🏇 pic.twitter.com/QrnCDDLv6Z
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) January 21, 2023

Two Emmys dons a 4-2-1-0 mark at the distance, as well as a nice 10-3-4-1 record at Fair Grounds, and I fully expect him to redeem himself for an unplaced showing in the race in 2022. The chestnut will lead the cast at every stage of the race.

The distance might be a little short for the Jonathan Thomas-conditioned #7 Corelli (8-1), but I am quite interested in the eight-year-old, nonetheless. The Grade 3 winner has obvious ability and finished a decent third in a 1 3/8-mile allowance heat at Gulfstream Park last time out while making his first run in more than 14 months. The Augustin Stable homebred cuts back in distance on this occasion and figures to be coming home as well as any contender in the field late on Saturday. The Point of Entry gelding will also benefit from picking up top gun Florent Geroux.

Godolphin homebred #6 Pixelate (8-1) is a classy contender who is consistently good for trainer Michael Stidham. The dark bay six-year-old didn’t handle the dirt in his 2022 finale, but he has trained forwardly in the interim and will relish the return to the green off the bench. The stalker runs well locally, evidenced by his 5-1-3-0 record, and I like that he possesses enough early foot to be in range as the field turns for home on Saturday. Luis Saez accepting the mount adds to his appeal.