Two horses to watch on the Louisiana Derby Day undercard

Readers know my thoughts on Saturday's All-Graded Stakes Pick 4, but what about the rest of the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby Day program? Here are a couple horses of interest on the undercard. Race 3 -- $75,000 New Orleans Ladies #6 LA SOLA RANGER (8-1) is an interesting stakes debuter in this spot with two wins in as many starts over the local turf, including a last-to-first rally in an N2X allowance February 8 following a nine-month layoff. A good second two back to La Sardane, who went on to capture two stakes including the Intercontinental (G3) at Belmont, so this isn't her first rodeo against this class of horse. Casse/Gaffalione combo a high percentage team, and this mare should be a decent price here. Race 7 -- Maiden Special Weight #7 EXCHEQUER (8-1) didn't get to make his intended turf debut last time due to a weather-related surface switch, but it was a race he might have needed following a five-month break. Having debuted last summer at Saratoga, the gray is relatively seasoned and is by 12% first-turf stallion Exchange Rate, a versatile sire with such notable turf progeny as French champion juvenile Reckless Abandon and Grade 1 turf winners Victory to Victory and Ball Dancing. Exchequer's dam, the stakes-winning Fools in Love, is a half-sister to Louisiana Derby (G2) winner International Star. More significantly, she previously reared Seahenge, who won the Champagne (G2) at Doncaster and placed in the Dewhurst (G1) in England at age two. These factors suggest Exchequer could produce his best run yet in a race expected to stay on the grass today.   (c) Holly M. Smith Photography