Juveniles to watch on Santa Super Saturday at Fair Grounds

A huge day of racing will take place on Saturday at Fair Grounds. Fourteen races will be contested in total, with six of those of the stakes variety. Juveniles will also have a strong presence on the card as eight of the 14 are for two-year-olds. Two-turn races for youngsters this time of year have special interest to me since I get a first glimpse of the potential stars of tomorrow. I will focus on each of those events while highlighting on runners that are bred to make some noise in 2019. Race 1 One mile and 70 yard-contest brings out seven and a pair of recent maiden winners draws most intrigue to me. Tackett (#1) (8-5) dominated in his second lifetime run for Michael Stidham. Limehouse gelding is proven on the surface and at the trip as the one to beat. West Virginia-bred shouldn't have any distance limits going forward. Steve Asmussen's Wicked Indeed (#6) (3-1) is very interesting. Gray son of Tapit was a game winner on debut going six panels at Fair Grounds. Winchell homebred didn't set the teletimer on fire in his score, but the May foal might be a nice one. Wicked Indeed is a full-brother to 2015 Adirondack (G2) vixen Just Wicked as well as 2018 Gazelle (G2) starlet My Miss Lily. We might be hearing his name quite a bit in the winter and spring if he runs to his pedigree. Race 4 Ten will go postward in the 1 1/16-mile maiden race. Gun It (#2) (7-2) put in a positive debut run going long at Churchill Downs when fourth. Tapit colt will benefit from a prior route race and draws a much better post today, too.Gun It was the second-highest priced lot at 2017 Keeneland September, bringing the gavel down at $2.6 million. Kentucky-bred is worth watching going forward. Grove Daddy (#6) (8-1) improved in a second run on the surface when runner-up to a sharp one most recently. Candy Ride colt brought $350,000 as a yearling and is bred to run all day. His half-brother Tiznow R J was third in the 2015 Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds. Twelfth Labour (#9) (4-1) is a $360,000 Quality Road colt who has performed well in both lifetime tries to date. Dallas Stewart pupil missed by a neck after rallying from well back at Churchill Downs in the slop last time out. Bay will have no distance limitations going forward and is another who might evolve into a stakes player with improvement. Race 12 The 1 1/16-mile test is my favorite of the two-turn juvenile races. Two colts in particular are worth keeping an eye on in my opinion. Rotation (#1) (8-1) is a full brother to stakes winner Retap, dual stakes heroine Remit, and five-time graded winner Tapiture, who finished second in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Rotation ran over a "good" turf course at Kentucky Downs when fifth and big improvement is expected today as he makes his dirt debut. Locally Owned (#12) (5-2) gets a tough post draw but is the one to beat for Al Stall. Distorted Humor colt has been second in each of his three lifetime runs in advance of today. He posted an 86 BRIS Speed number at Churchill Downs in his two-turn bow last out. February foal is the first runner out of 2013 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and Ruffian (G2) star Fifthshadesofhay. Kentucky-bred was well clear of his nearest foe most recently and seems poised for another step forward.