Horse Pick of the Day: Louisiana Champions’ Day Turf Stakes Fairgrounds Race 10

The Fairgrounds hosts their annual Louisiana Champions’ Day on Saturday and horse betting fans should take some time to check out the entire card.

A bevy of stakes races are on tap, all for Louisiana breds, all for at least $60,000 or more.  That makes for a terrific day of racing.  The best betting race on the card figures to be the 10th, the Louisiana Champions’ Day Turf Stakes.

Let’s take a look at that race.

Fairgrounds – Race 10 (5:23 pm EST)

Louisiana Champions’ Day Turf Stakes

$100,000

For Three Year Olds and Upward, Accredited Louisiana Breds

1 1/16th miles on turf

Nowandforevermore – - 9/2 morning line odds

The likely favorite in this, Desert Wheat, beat this guy by 2 ¾ lengths the last time the two hooked up, but things figure to be different in this race because Nowandforevermore goes second time for terrific jockey Shane Sellers and breaks from the 2 hole while Desert Wheat is stuck out in the 9 hole.  Sellers will want to keep Nowandforevermore just a bit further off of the pace, maybe 5 to 6 lengths instead of 4, and perhaps take him off of the rail for the rally.  If he does that, then he can turn the tables on his rival.

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Desert Wheat – - 2/1 morning line odds

The morning line chalk was absolutely brilliant in his last race, the Mr. Sulu Stakes, where he beat Nowandforevermore.  He’s a decent horse, Desert Wheat, and could easily win this stakes, but trainer Bill Mott got a lot out of him in his last.  He’s likely to bounce in this tougher affair.  If he does, then he might not get to the winner’s circle, but should still be able to pick up a piece. 

Wildrally – - 8/1 morning line odds

This Tim Ice trainee was terrible in his first race off of a layoff, the Mr. Sulu Stakes where Nowandforevermore and Desert Wheat ran last, but before that had strung together 3 victories in a row.  He could improve dramatically in his second race off of the layoff and rates an outsider’s chance to upset Desert Wheat and Nowandforevermore.  Wildrally is an extremely tractable horse, able to run on the lead or off of it, and should be taken seriously in this.

Wagering Strategy

All of the signs point to Nowandforevermore winning this race.  I will bet him to win and place.  Both Desert Wheat and Wildrally have a shot to win this as well which is why I will bet an exacta and trifecta box instead of keying Nowandforevermore.