Louisiana Downs Pick 5 for Tuesday, Sept. 20

The second-to-last week of Louisiana Downs offers up another interesting Pick 5. No one hit last Saturday’s sequence. We can be targeted in our structure and focus on pressing our strongest opinions for multiple shares, or we can be aggressive and go for the entire kit and caboodle. 

50-cent Pick 5 = $36

Race 3 Dirt 6 Furlongs Clm 5000B 3-year-old fillies 

#1 Our Perfect Princess (9-5) looks to stay hot after winning her last, a freshened up effort over a solid field. #3 New Year’s Party has been running well but flying wide in his previous races. A better trip and we should have our winner right here, and her trainer Patrick Mouton has been hot this meet. #4 Salaciousacusation (6-1) showed nice improvement between the first and second starts off the layoff. One more step forward for win #6.

Race 4 Turf About 1 Mile Clm 7500N4L 3-year-olds & up

#7 Big One (5-2) has been facing tougher at Colonial Downs and the class drop should be more than enough to put him back in the winners circle for trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Joel Dominguez. By singling in a field where many will be spreading, we can gain some equity and find our prices elsewhere.

Race 5 Dirt 6 Furlongs Clm 5000N3L 3-year-olds & up

#1 Ry Don’t Lie (2-1) should be gunning to the lead from the get-go in his first start since trainer Rosa Ramirez claimed him back, after previously training him into peak form in his July 11 race. #2 Robtadi Storm (8-1) dueled through the stretch and got the best of next-out winner G’s Storm. We know this one will have his game face on. Maiden-special-weight winner #4 Ghoster (5-2) should have no trouble running well against these, if he can retain his form from the Lone Star n2l he won last out. #6 Freightrainfreeman (5-1) has the top speed figures in the field, though coming on turf, but is more than a little camera shy, winning only two of his 13 in the money efforts.

Race 6 Turf About 7 1/2 Furlongs OC 12k/N1X 3-year-old & up statebreds

This is the race that justifies getting involved in this sequence. I do not think these morning line odds will hold up, but still, this is a competitive field, and there are two price horses that have every right to run well against this field. #3 Guitar Slim (12-1) will try the turf again, and who’s to say he will like it any better than the previous abysmal performances? Trainer Sarah Delany claims this five-year-old, who has impressed me in the past, and moves him up in class while adding blinkers - a positive signal from a horse whose best can win. #7 Justa Swingin (20-1) looked fantastic when winning his second race after taking the blinkers off. His last effort came going wide on an off the turf sloppy track, so the return to grass should be all this one needs for a monster run.

Race 7 Dirt 6 Furlongs Clm 5000N3L 3-year-old & up fillies

The old class-dropping, surface-swapping, shortening-up speedball #2 Social Date (8-1) is dangerous in here. I’ll lean on #4 Tay Tay’s Baby (5-2) - trainer Karl Broberg wins with 25% when his horse won while earning  a top speed figure in their last race. #6 Leudeal (5-2) raced her best three back, which was the last time she was on the dirt. The turf efforts can be excused, likely not taking the surface, but either way, in each she had trouble getting away form the gate cleanly and in a preferred running position.