Pick 3 of the Week: Fair Grounds Saturday [Mar 15]

An appealing three-race sequence during the middle of the Saturday card at Fair Grounds will be the focus of the Pick 3 of the Week. 

Race 6 Wager:

• $1 Pick 3: 5,6,8 with 1,3 with 2,3,5,6,7,8 ($36)

Race 6 – Optional Claiming

An overflow field of 12 fillies and mares will vie in the about 1 1/16-mile turf tilt to kick off the play. The evenly-matched field boasts multiple contenders that are viable options in the contest, but I will narrow my search down to a trio of them. #5 Ghostly Gal (6-1) has faced stakes foes in a trio of races in succession and will appreciate the class relief in this one for trainer Wayne Catalano. Ghostzapper mare is four-for-eight on the lawn in her lifetime and will be in a good spot at the top of the lane under Jareth Loveberry. 

#6 Just Basking (5-2) was a huge third in the Alabama S. (G1) in the summer and must be included while making her grassy bow. Stakes-winning daughter of Arrogate obviously has a ton of ability, and both of her siblings to have raced are winners on the green, as well. Chris Landeros has the call. #8 Past Tense (6-1) ran like a horse who needed a race off the break last time out, and the Thomas Morley pupil will improve in this endeavor. Four-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper was a smart winner on the surface in November and will be dangerous with something resembling that performance today beneath Mitchell Murrill. 

Race 7 – Allowance

Cajun-bred runners will run one-mile on the dirt in the middle leg with 10 signed on. I’m most intrigued by #1 Givemeasecond (12-1) who will make his route debut in a winnable spot. Ducoing trainee has run big in two of his four lifetime runs to date while showing big speed from the gate, and the four-year-old looks like the one to catch on the stretch out in this spot. The bay colt is obviously no sure thing going long, but he lands in a questionable cast and also gets a great draw on the rail to take command early on. He receives a rider upgrade with Ben Curtis accepting the mount, too. 

With the possibility of a contested pace in the contest, I feel that #3 Native Star (4-1) could benefit most from the potential race flow for trainer Scott Geiner. The five-year-old son of Star Guitar has been in solid form since moving back to route races and will be in a good spot as the field turns for home in this wide-open tilt. Bay gelding will have Axel Concepcion in the stirrups. 

Race 8 – Maiden Special Weight

Sophomores will travel about one-mile on the green in the closing leg. The two-time Grade-3 placed #6 Sabertooth (3-1) is the sure one to beat in his first try for conditioner Brittany Russell. Grazen colt has been runner-up in six of eight lifetime tries while often facing better, and the California import looms large with his top performance on this occasion.

Al Stall’s first timer #2 Special Awakening (8-1), second-time starter #3 Susan’s Boy (5-1), Michael Stidham’s #5 The Commack Kid (10-1), Three Chimneys homebred #7 Tempus Volat (8-1), and the Brad Cox-trained #8 Foligno (7-2) will also make the ticket in the capper.