Fair Grounds Stakes Selections: Grade 3’s Mineshaft, Fair Grounds Handicap

By Rick Francis —-

FAIR GROUNDS

Race 9) Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap 4yo & up 1&1/16th Miles Post Time 4:25 CST

2) Harlan Punch – (Cox/Geroux); missed by a neck two back but then dug in to win the Louisiana late last month; form is on the upswing.

5) Lone Sailor – (Amoss/Graham); a couple of things work here for the Majestic Warrior colt, the slight cutback from the Derby distances he’s been running at and a blistering work tab that’ll make his “one” run even more effective.

4) Silver Dust – (Calhoun/Gilligan); game until the end in the Louisiana, his fourth straight strong effort.

8) Phat Man – (Sharp/Beschizza); is one across the board in his three Fair Grounds starts with the place and show finishes coming this meet.

Selections: 2, 5, 4, 8

Race 10) Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap 4yo&up 1&1/8th Miles (TURF) Post Time 4:57 CST

1) Tiz a Slam – 5-year-old is rested after a strenuous 2018 campaign that saw him score a pair of graded wins at Woodbine along with a place finish; he’s been working impressively in prep for this.

2) Sir Dudley Digges – knows this bunch having faced off against a couple in his last three starts; he’s got enough to factor in exotics.

3) Sun Lover – off since a non-threatening effort at Keeneland last October, won’t threaten here as well.

4) Long On Luck – has finished in the money in nine straight including a pair of last out wins on both the main and turf; what he’s not long on is facing this level of competition, but he’s hot.

5) Big Changes – 7-year-old out of Midshipman brings it each time out, winning 6-of-8 along with a pair of seconds. Exits a clearing score in the Sunshine Millions Turf and gets one of the Fair Grounds best back in Geroux.

6) First Premio – 5-year-old by Pure Prize has made the surface switch work winning and placing twice from five career starts on the lawn; rallied here to win the Col. Bradley.

7) Combatant – 2018 Triple Crown player is still but a maiden winner but may have found his preferred surface as he closed from well back to miss by a half-length in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile at Santa Anita; nevertheless, they’re more accomplished turf players in here.

8) Markitoff – and one of those “mark it offs” is the removal of blinkers; can’t hurt.

9) Synchrony – Tapit 6-year-old fired fresh off the bench a year ago to win this and comes into this off a 3-month break; with a perfect 3-for-3 record on the Stall-Wilson turf course, he’s a definite win threat.

10) Great Wide Open – filled out the tri in the Bradley his fifth straight board finish including a pair of wins here to open the meet; don’t discount.

11) Bandua – since coming over from Ireland he’s made a pair of Grade 1 starts along with a pricey stakes contest; think he may want longer.

Selections: 9, 6, 5, 2