Mardi Gras is over until 2019. But don’t be misled. The Party is just now beginning at the Fair Grounds, where the post parades will replace the festive ones and the horses are only gearing up for the stretch drive to this year’s Winter/Spring meet.

Here is a closer look at today’s card:

1st: 8-4-6-5-7…Twilight Star (8) ran next to last; was beaten 19 lengths; and goes for a trainer who has not had a horse to hit the board here this meet in five previous starts. But she sure does look like a good thing in the first today. The Star Guitar filly is getting a huge class drop and if you go back to her previous runs at Delta Downs in December — when she had a second and a third at the MSW levels — she looks like a standout against the likes of these at the MC $12,500 level. We will see, but the work here on Jan. 14, when she was 2nd of 114 to go that day, is good enough for me. Fuhr a Slam (4) will get her first start for the barn of trainer Rayt Sibile, who is having a standout meet here with limited runners (2-1-1 record in just 7 starts). She hasn’t been close in the last two, but did post as second here on Dec. 7. Desert Empress (6) did post a third, although beaten 16 lengths in that one, two starts back. Goes for a good barn, which has solid numbers across the board. Can’t dismiss. I bet the 8 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in one exacta. Tread lightly.

2nd: 9-6-5-4…Bowknot Billy (9) won his last race here on Jan. 15 and nows moves up a condition, which is never easy to do. But this one still looks the best, considering that he has a win, two fourths and a third in the last four outs. Better yet, he does well over this track, with a record of 2-2-1 in 10 starts in New Orleans. Trainer scores with .19% on a repeat winner at the claiming level. Il Est Vite (6) was claimed out of the last race, and the new conditioner will pull the blinkers off this one. The barn hits with .25% of those with that equipment change. Cork Arm (5) goes for a trainer having a very solid meet (.23%). Has hit the board in 7 of the last 9 races, with a couple of wins mixed in there. Has only 2 thirds in 7 tries over this track, though. Winners in the last two have already come back to win again. Mixed emotions? I bet the 9 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in the exacta.

3rd 8-4-6-7-5-1…Pera (8) has run in four straight Stakes races, with a second and a third in that group. Gets back to the grass today after a poor try over the dirt at Delta Downs. Trainer only hits with .2% of those making the surface switch, and has not won in 9 starts this meet. So why? The run here three back — when she nearly took them gate-to-wire — was against very good company. Will need to catch a firm grass course and make the lead. Eskenformore (4) will get the saddle from a guy who has put up a record of 7-3-5 in 31 starts this meet. Has won two in a row, coming from off a stalking trip. Picks up the meet’s top rider in Miguel Mena and turned in a nice work here on Feb. 10. Has hit the board in 4 of 5 lifetime tries. A more consistent sort in this group. Reine des Animaux (6) will pick up Florent Geroux in the saddle as the rider in the last two opts for the top choice in here. This is one who may have pressed the pace a little too hard in the last out. Or, it may have been a chance in tactics. Before the nice second in last, though, this one was a dead closer. It will be interesting to see where she comes from in here, with more pace to run at. Trainer hits with .18% of turf runners and should be close at the end. I bet the 8 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 in the exactas.

4th: 5-2-3-1…Mayor Mac (5) will team up with a hot trainer/jockey duo. These guys have recorded 2 wins and 2 thirds in their last 5 mounts together. This one has been working lights out, as well. Look at the string of works since mid-January. Gets a nice drop in class and the trainer scores with .21% of those making their first start in the claiming ranks. Infinite Mischief (2) is an Illinois-bred, but has been running against open company for much of his life. Has a win in two runs over this surface, and moves back to the dirt after a tough run on the grass. Trainer hits with .26% of those making this surface switch. Stalker has 5 wins and 3 thirds in just 14 starts. So, figures to be close at the end. Superstar Leo (3) is the 2-1 ML favorite, and has hit the board in each of the last five tries. But…The 7YO gelding has three seconds in a row and had two thirds before that. Seems to always be close, but hang late. Record is 6-8-5 in 29 starts. I play underneath. I bet the 5 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in the exacta.

5th: 4-7-11-3-2-6-10…Show Bound (4) gets a huge drop in class today, and the last time he was last seen running for this level, he won easily. After that, he ran third in a Stakes race, where the winner has already come back to win, and ran off the board in a high level allowance event here, where he had significant trouble from the get-go. Needs to get a cleaner break and position towards the front, but lands a solid rider today. M C Squared (7) will go for the deadly trainer/jock duo, who have teamed up to win on .31% of their tries together. Moves up in class today off a super win here on Jan. 4. Will be a forward presence in this spot, too. The Imposter (11) was claimed out of the last one and the new conditioner hits with .31% of those making the debut with the new barn after the purchase. This one ran second at this level two starts back and has a solid 1-2-1 record in 7 tries over this grass course. Bears watching. I bet the 4 to win/place/show and box the top 3 numbers in one exacta and then key the top 3 over the rest in a smaller version.

6th: 8-4-9-1-1A-7…Savvy Shipman (8) moves to the dirt after a solid third-place try over the grass in her career debut here on Dec. 30. Trainer hits with .18% of those making the surface switch. She was well bet in the first race, and the winner of that one has already returned to win again. Trainer is having a good meet here and the rider has started to move up the leader board in all categories. Nice work here on Feb. 6. Take note. Is Too (4) will make her career debut today, and comes into this one off a steady line of works that appear to be getting faster and stronger. The trainer hits with .15% of those making their debut in the MSW ranks, and he attracts a top rider to get on board. Like the 8-1 ML odds. Miss Dun Done It (9) is another first timer, and this trainer scores with .20% of those making the debut in the MSW ranks. Training well in the a.m. and gets a rider who does well for this barn. Can’t dismiss. I bet the 8 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in one exacta and then key the 8 over/under in two more.

7th: 2-3-7-5-4…Longwing Lily (2) is my first Best Bet of the Day. This 5YO mare has never missed the board in 5 previous starts, and was closing well in her only previous start on the grass before encountering some traffic issues. Will stretch out to a mile today for a trainer that knows how to win and has put up a solid 3-9-5 record in 28 starts this meet. Look for improvement today. Havana Dream (3) goes for the barn of Mark Casse, who is winning with .20% of his horses this meet. Shortens up a bit for this try, and looks to be training very well for this one. New rider for this one today? Geroux, who previously rode the #3, now opts to get on Dontmesswithjoanne (7) for the red-hot barn of Brad Cox (.32% winners). Won the last time out and was third in a Stakes event here three back against a good one that comes from the same barn. Nice work here on Feb. 10. The one to beat. I bet the 2 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in one exacta and then key the 2-7 over the rest in a smaller version.

8th: 2-1-9-3-4-5…Spring Value (2) will get the saddle from the team in the Steve Asmussen barn after running a game second here on Jan. 19. Winner of that one came right back to win, as did the horse this one faced two starts back. Might face a little easier company in this spot today, and should appreciate the restricted company to LA-breds only. Nice work here on Feb. 5. Looks ready. Day Drinker (1) will be tacked up by a trainer who has hit with .24% this meet, but gets little notice. Training well, too, and comes in off four solid runs in a row. Gets a new rider on the move up to the big leagues. Can he step up his game? Quality Production (9) didn’t fare well in the last try here on Jan. 19, but had hit the board in 7 of the previous 8 tries. Solid rider returns to the saddle. I bet the 2 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in the exacta.

9th: 9-3-6-2-5-10-13 (14)…Proud Talkie (9) gets a nice drop in class today after running on the lead and tiring in the last try at the MSW ranks. Closed a bit in the only previous start. So? What to expect? I expect a better performance against these types. Heaven’s Creation (3) is another who will enjoy a drop in class, for a top barn. Only two previous runs over the grass were not good, but is bred for this surface, it appears. New rider is reunited with this filly, and they have enjoyed two thirds and a second in the three previous runs together. Bullet work here on Jan. 20. Now is the time. D’Platinum (6) nearly won at this level the last time out, when it was washed off the turf. Three back, she nearly won again. Speedy type will try to carry them all the way. I bet the 9-3 across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exacta. I key the 9-3 over all the others in a smaller version.

Good Luck & All the Best/Gene