Friday's 6th race (3:25pm CT) from Fair Grounds is a $47,000 entry level Allowance event for 3-year-olds and up traveling one mile on the turf course (rail at 10 feet).
#6 Major Gain (4-1) rallied to finish a rock solid 3rd in his first start for Roussel vs. similar local rivals Nov 23. More Than Ready is a fine turf sire and dam's other winner tallied on the turf so it makes sense that his new trainer is trying to turn him into a grass runner. Barn excels 2nd off the shelf and a win here would be his first since the G3 Arl-Wash Futurity in 2010.
Play Friday's Fair Grounds/Gulfstream games at DerbyWars.com
#1 At the Pulpit (9-2) finished a length in front of Major Gain last out. He has the productive Eramia/Lovell team in his corner and should save all of the ground before pouncing in the lane.
#8 Parabellum (3-1) graduated in a local turf sprint off the shelf Nov 29 and must avoid a bounce as he stretches out in his first start vs. winners. Napravnik and Amoss are 6 for their last 18 together.
#2 Black Rhino (12-1) handles turf but probably does not want to go this far. He will likely take the early initiative and could hang in there longer than anticipated if able to relax and slow things down.
The Plays:
$18 to win #6
$1 Trifecta 1-6/1-2-6-8/1-2-6-8 ($12)
analysis by Jarrod Horak