Alex McLean

Alex McLean, Fashion Editor

Happy birthday to my baby groundhog, who turns 30 years young today. She is as bright and beautiful today as the day she first saw her shadow, and she hasn’t run from anything since. Alex nows works for the Country Music Academy in Nashville, TN., after spending several years banging and knocking on doors, people, subways, and the big life of New York, New York — the city so nice they named it twice. Married now with two kittens and a dog, all of whom she rescued, Alex is surely one of a kind. But one that I wouldn’t ever trade and one I wouldn’t ever count out. Happy birthday my little girl. Your dad loves you and you are the best pick of the day.

Now, for the racing card in the Big Easy:

1st: 6-3-5-2…She Loves Leather (6) gets back to the dirt today after a misfire in her try on the grass here on Dec. 26. The race before, this 5YO mare broke her maiden going short on the dirt and now drops all the way to $7,500 claiming. Trainer scores with .43% with these kinds of droppers, and this one fired a bullet work here on Jan. 10. My pick. Blue Chicory (3) gets the class plunge from $30,000 to $7,500 today for a trainer as cold as Kentucky. But this one figures to be in the hunt at this level, or there is surely no way out of the trap. This trainer hits with .24% of these kind of class plungers, too. Lady Loretta (5) is the 2-1 ML favorite, and is getting class relief, as well. She was even money favorite last time out, and the trainer scores with .17% of those returning after being so well supported at the windows. Corey Lanerie, one of the hottest riders around, vacates the saddle in favor of a guy who is 0-for-23 and misjudged the finish line last week, losing on the wire. Ouch. I bet the 6 to win/place/show and then key the 6 over/under all the other numbers listed.

2nd: (10)-4-2-6-8-7-5-1…A turf sprint race is dialed up here. If it comes off the grass, then take a hard look at the 10, who would get in from the MTO list. If it stays green, then I go immediately to the 6YO horse Romeo Lima (4), who hails from the barn of my good friend, Louie Roussel. This one gets nice class relief in this spot, and was really closing strong in the last try here on Feb. 12 — nearly a year ago. Trainer hits with .16% of those away so long, and this one does sport some solid works on the return trail. Sports a record of 3-3-1 in 15 sod tries. Aktabantay (2) gets the drop into the claiming ranks for the first time since picked up for $40,000 at Saratoga back in July of 2017. On that day, he was beaten a half length as the favorite. I like the 6-1 ML odds and the rider switch for this hot barn operation. Whiskey Bravo (6) won his last time out, when the race was washed off the turf and contested on a sloppy main track. Three races back, on Dec. 14, he nearly pulled the win off, but couldn’t get up in time at the line. The winner of that heat has already come back to win again. I bet the 4-2 to win/place/show and then box the top three numbers in one exacta and then key the top 3 over the rest in a smaller version.

3rd: 1-4-3-2-6-7…Qarth (1) is 6-1 ML, but I doubt you get those kind of lofty rewards by post time. Not with the hot riding Corey Lanerie getting the leg up today. This 3YO gelded son of City Zip takes a nice class drop for a solid trainer, who hits with .29% of those getting this type of plunge. Great Sky (4) and Blues Tour (3) both figure to have a shot at this level. But Lanerie opts to ride the preferred choice over Great Sky in this one. I bet the 1 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in one exacta and then key the top 3 over the rest in a smaller version.

4th: (10)-1-5-8-4-3-2…If this one comes off the turf, then take a strong look at the #10. If it stays on the lawn, then I go back to the rail for his one with She’s Got Pride (1), who comes from the barn of Larry Jones. This 3YO filly should love the turf and has hit the board in each of her last three tries. Nearly pulled off the win here on Dec. 8 when it was washed off the sod. Nipped a head in that one as the even money favorite. Trainer scores with .30% on the return after being beaten as the choice. Jinx Johnson (5) won her last time out at MC30 level, and will face winners for the first time. But the trainer is so red hot, you can never dismiss him at this meet. The jock has teamed up to win with over .26% of his mounts for this barn and this filly worked a bullet out of 89 on Dec. 23. Adds up. Regal Dame (8) should improve today, which will be the third out after a layoff. The shades come off, as well, and this trainer does well (.26%) with that equipment change. I bet the 1 to win/place/show and then key the 1 over/under all the rest in two exactas.

5th: 3-2-1-8…Bobby the Brain (3) moves back to the dirt and drops all the way to the basement for this try today. Trainer does well with this type of dropper and picks up the barn’s top rider in Joe Bravo. They have teamed up to win at a .28% clip over the last 29 mounts together. Had a super work back on Christmas Eve and looks primed for this spot. Big Ragu (2) has hit the board in each of his last four races, with two wins in that mix. Top rider gets back aboard for a veteran trainer, who has saddled many winners through the years here. Sammy Mandeville (1) gets the saddle from one of the hottest trainers here this meet (.28% wins), and gets one of the meet’s top riders, as well. Nice work here on Jan. 10, and the trainer hits with .42% of those getting this kind of class relief. I have to use. I bet the 3 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in one exacta.

6th: 9-5-7-6-8-2-1-1A…Back to the turf for this event, and I go to the outside for my pick — Path of David (9), who comes from the barn of Tom Amoss. Didn’t have the best of trips in the last try here on Dec. 15 and now the barn goes to Joe Bravo. They have teamed to win .58% of their last 12 races together, and they should fit nicely in this spot. Two races back this one nearly pulled off the win, before losing by a head at the line. Methuseiah (5) was whipped after setting and pushing the pace in his last try here on Jan. 4. Faded way out of the picture that day, but gets a new rider for this one and looks to return to the same type of stalking position where he ran a near-miss second two back and won just three races ago. Trainer and Jockey, both, sure could use a trip to the winner’s circle, since they are a combined 0-for-40 this meet. Whiskey Ticket (7) has recorded two wins and a second in just 7 lifetime starts to date. Was trained by Bob Baffert a year ago on the West Coast, but now comes from the barn of Anthony Rini, who is having a nice meet. Can’t dismiss. I bet the 9 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in one exacta, and then key the top 3 over the rest in another.

7th: 4-5-6-2…My first Best Bet of the Day comes in this spot, and with My Friend Flavin (4). This guy has tried 5 LA-bred Stakes races in the last 6 outs, but gets to face optional claimers today. This 6YO gelding won a Stakes race back in December of 2016 here, and he turned in a very nice work on Jan. 14. Looks ready in this spot. John’s Luck (5) won his last time out, but loses that condition. Now moves up a click. Has never shown the ability to put two good ones back to back, but today may be the day, right? Hunker Down (6) just may be the horse to beat in this one. Goes for a cold barn, but this one gets back on the dirt today and that should enable him to return to his former style — where he has hit the board in 5 of the last 8, with two wins in that mix. I bet the 4 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in the exacta.

8th: 1-7-6-4-2-3-9…Another turf event goes at 11/16 miles, and my second Pick of the Day goes to Crescent Drive (1). This 5Yo son of Flower Alley hails from the barn of Tom Amoss, and he won at this level in his last try. Trainer can score with back-to-back winners, like his .27% win rate proves. Winning rider returns for the voyage, and the dam of this one was stakes placed and has thrown 2 turf winners from two starters already. The pick. Macho Gabacho (7) tired late in the last one and dropped from second to fourth late in the going. Should benefit from that try and he does sport a tidy 2-2-1 record in 9 starts over the sod. Fits here. Consultation (6) set all the fractions and pace in his last try with the top choice. Faded to third very late in that going, but must be caught again. I bet the 1 to win/place/show and then key the 1 over/under all the other numbers listed in two exactas.

9th: 4-9-6-10-2-3-5…The day’s finale is a wide open affair, but I land on Moment of Grace (4), who will be ridden by Corey Lanerie. This guy has been on fire of late, and riding even better than that — with a record of 8 wins, 5 seconds and 2 thirds in the last 19 mounts. She is 8-1 in the ML, too, and good kiss us goodbye today with a nice payoff. Causation (9) returns today for a good barn operation, who wins their fair share. Drops in class to the bottom of the LA-bred ranks, and the trainer hits with .31% of these kind of droppers. Pound of Hundreds (6) is 6-1 ML, but comes into this one off a very convincing victory of over 5 lengths. Loses that condition and moves up on class for this one, but looks good right now with two easy victories in the last 3 tries. I bet the 4-6 across the board and then box the top 3 choices in one exacta and then key the top three numbers over the rest in a smaller version.

Good Luck & All the Best/Gene