Quills Picks Winners – Thursday 3/19 – Fair Grounds Race 9
The closing day of the Fair Grounds meet gets closer and closer, and Bleacher Brothers and Quills Picks winners will be focused on the New Orleans track this week. Big things are on the slate for Saturday with the Louisiana Derby and Fair Grounds Oaks concluding the New Orleans Road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks.
Today, we look at their featured race today. Older horses will go a mile and a sixteenth on the main track in an optional claiming race. Seven horses will go postward in this event.
Fair Grounds Race 9 – Allowance Optional Claiming
Favored in today’s race is the 4 Orizzonte (3/1 morning line). He raced on the grass here at the Fair Grounds near the end of January and closed strongly to finish second in his first race in eight months. He goes turf to dirt today to a surface that he has run well on in the past. Look for him to sit and take advantage of the long stretch here and close strongly again today.
The 3 Money Game (7/2 ML) is a bit intriguing here. He is two for two lifetime, winning both races last year at Oaklawn. But he has not raced since last May. He returns for a trainer that gets his horses ready to go of these long layoffs. This colt does figure to be closing like he did in his first two races of his career so far.
The 1 Tarantino (4/1 ML) has run his fair share of graded stakes and will have the class edge here. But this is an eight-year-old gelding who may be nearing the end of his career on the track. But he might have at least one more good race in him this afternoon. He could be on the lead here today and if the pace is slow enough, he could lull the field to sleep.
The 6 Energize (6/1 ML) weakened in the General McArthur at Oaklawn last month and returns today here at his home base at the Fair Grounds. He is usually right off the leaders, but with the potential for a faster pace, he might be a few lengths further back than usual.
Joe’s Pick
I’m tempted to play Tarantino to win here, but I think he gets into a duel with Bedard (#5, 6/1 ML) who also wants to be on the lead. This race does set up for the closers, and I will take Money Game here. He is coming off of a long layoff but he looks ready after training up to his return in Florida. He should be nosing out Orizzonte late today.
I’m calling this race 3-4-6-1 and my play is $20 to win on the 3. Best of luck and I’ll see you in the winner’s circle!
