Happy Louisiana Derby Day! 

Today is the big day at the Fair Grounds where they have eight stake races headlined by The Louisiana Derby and Sierra Leone returns as a four year old in the New Orleans Classic. 

Trivia Question: Who was the last winner of the Louisiana Derby to win the Kentucky Derby? 

Race 11 – The Fair Grounds Oaks – Grade II 

One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies  

1. Girl Math: Improved performance with the addition of blinkers and the move to the poly track where she broke her maiden but failed to impress in her first stakes. Should come from off the pace. Scratched from the Virginia Oaks to run here. Speed figs are low. Small chance.
2. Gowells Delight: Tried to take them all the way in the Rachel Alexandra (78 Beyer) but Good Cheer was too tough. Scratched from the Virginia Oaks to run here. Should be forward. Passing.
3. Ahavah: Broke her maiden at first asking for Cheri DeVaux while sprinting over this surface (81 Beyer). City of Light colt now takes on seasoned fillies – while stretching out – but a move forward puts her in contention. Leading Fair Grounds rider Jose Ortiz stays aboard. Two quick works coming out of that maiden win. Lasix comes OFF.  Contender.
4. Jenkin: Broke her maiden and then won the Year’s End Stakes at Oaklawn on a muddy strip.  However, in the Honeybee she faded (64 Beyer). May prefer off going.
5. Her Laugh: Threw her head at the start of the Suncoast Stakes which left her well back but she gathered herself and rallied to second behind La Cara. Won the Untapable Stakes over this surface with a front end trip (74 Beyer). Big time underlay. Gets a piece.
6. Bless the Broken: Cross entered in The Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway and reports indicate that she will run there. Has hit the board in both of her starts this year. The better performance was over a sloppy Fairgrounds track in the Silverbulletday where she made a sustained drive to get second (83 Beyer). In the Rachel Alexandra she was in position but was no match for Good Cheer. Passing.
7. Good Cheer: Brad Cox trainee is undefeated in five career starts. In her first start of the year, she blew the field away in the Rachel Alexandra like a 1/9 shot should (89 Beyer). She could be anything and will be a short price – she’s earned it. Second off the layoff. The Pick.
8. Secret Faith: Cross entered in The Crescent City Oaks. Has won seven of eight starts while competing against State Breds after breaking her maiden.  Class test today as she moves to open company and goes a route of ground. Lasix comes OFF. Could surprise at a price.
9. Quickick: Showed promise as a two year old as she hit the board in the BC Juvenile Fillies after a runner up finish in the Alcibiades. Ran OK in her first start of the year in the Honeybee where she made a middle move but flattened (72 Beyer). May have needed one.

 Picks 7-5-3-8 

Race 12 – The Louisiana Derby – Grade II 

One Mile and Three Sixteenths on the Dirt for Three Year Olds  

1. John Hancock: Was cross entered in the Virginia Derby last week but Brad Cox chose to scratch from there to run here. Led gate to wire in the Sam F. Davis (84 Beyer).  Look for him to set the pace from this inside post. Minor award candidate.
2. Chunk of Gold: Picked up the pieces in the Risen Star getting up for second (92 Beyer) as the entire field was left reeling behind Magnitude. Once he got out of traffic he was flying and the extra distance may suit. Risen Star was his first dirt effort and it may be a key race as the first two runners back were the exacta in the Virginia Derby. The Pick.
3. Tiztastic: Won two races at Kentucky Downs on the turf but hasn’t won since. Last out in the Rebel he was a ho-hum fifth as the leaders were loose on lead. Decent in the Southwest where he closed well down the crown of the track (89 Beyer). Hasn’t won on dirt yet. Passing. 
4. Yinzer: Broke his maiden last out as he took them the whole way. There is plenty of speed here today so he will have company if goes full throttle. Lasix comes OFF. Know him early.
5. Caldera: The Dean of American trainers, D. Wayne Lukas, might have another one. In the Sunland Derby he just missed at the wire after dueling (91 Beyer) in his 2nd start with the blinkers on, which appears to have made difference. Fired two bullets since that race. Using. 
6. Built: Won the Gun Runner (92 Beyer) and then was a close second in the Lecomte where Disco Time was simply better over a sloppy track.  In the Risen Star last month, he was a well beaten third as was left chasing Magnitude and he faded late – now needs to get another furlong. Blinkers go ON. Not sure he wants longer. Underneath in gimmicks.
7. Vassimo: Nyquist colt won his first two races and then danced with the big boys in the Risen Star where he finished a decent fourth but was nowhere near close to Magnitude (but no one was). Beyers are on the improve and Blinkers go ON. Small slice.
8. Furio: Broke his maiden over this surface then tried allowance company but couldn’t take them the distance (84 Beyer). Should be on the pace again today. Water is too deep.
9. Instant Replay: Favorite in three of five career races and has won two of those including a five length romp last out in  N1X company (92 Beyer). That win was with Lasix, which comes off today. Passing.
10. Hypnus: Ken McPeek trainee broke his maiden at first asking but then had traffic trouble in the Rebel Stakes (80 Beyer) and couldn’t get in the clear – but he did keep running. Looking elsewhere.

Picks 2-5-7-6 

All Stakes Pick 4  R9: 2,7 R10: 1,3,5,6,7 R11: 7 R12: 1,2,5,6 7 Ticket Cost $25 

Trivia Answer: Grindstone, trained by D. Wayne Lukas with Jerry Bailey up, in 1996 was the most recent Louisiana Derby winner to win the Kentucky Derby.