It is a beautiful day at Kentucky Lake. Water is brisk and blue. Sky just the same. Winter besets, but a wonderful time in the country. A few chores to be done, for sure. But plenty of time for the fireplace; and the TV tuned in to the races. No more so that those that will be held today at The Fairgrounds. A nice card. Here’s a closer look:

1st: 2-4-6-1…Lady Digger (2) is a speedster for the team of trainer Ron Faucheux and locked CJ Hernandez. They team up for .23%, which is about twice the average for both individually. She will step on the gas pedal early and try to wing it the entire 51/2-furlongs in here. Has good numbers over this dirt track, too, and gets back to the Louisiana-breds only today. The pick. Timebobanna (4) has solid numbers and will likely press the pace a bit. Elegant Idea (6) comes from a top claiming barn and has hit board in 7 of 15 at the distance. Can’t dismiss. I bet the 2 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in a light exacta.

2nd: 4-5-2-3-6…Bourbon Candy (4) was off the turf and on the synthetic in the last, which is a toss for me. Has the numbers to be right there on the grass surface. Hit the board in half of his tries at the distance and won sprinting on the turf three back, with a string of three nice races in a row. Fred’s Lucky Boy (5) moves up in the class ranks off a nice win at Retama Park in Texas in the last out. Will stalk the leaders in here and try to close with a new rider aboard today. Day Six (2) has a shot in her off the last effort for trainer Joe Sharp, who is off to a solid start here in the Big Easy. Will need to say a little of that speed for the end, but has been going much farther and should be plenty fit enough. I bet the 4 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in one exacta.

3rd: 8-7-1-3…Gentle Commitment (8) gets the huge class plunge all the way from the MSW ranks to $5,000 Claiming, although will face winners for the first time. Goes for a top trainer who knows how to place them right, and this Texas-bred gelding should be raring to go after being gelded since his win back in October. Big Ragu (7) is a NY-bred for trainer Louie Roussel, who is coming off a maiden win, too. This one got the job done at Hawthorne in his last and looks to be training very well since the move South (note the work on Nov. 27). Classic Brahms (1) is a Louisiana-bred in this diverse field, but had a nice win two back. I go with the 8 to win/place/show and then key the 8 over/under all the other numbers listed.

4th: 5-1-6-7-4-2…Time to Flirt (5) goes for the barn of Brad Cox, who is off to another good start after having won the trainer’s title in number of wins at the recent Churchill Downs meet. This one has been facing some real good ones and should well with these today. Has 3 seconds to show in the first 7 starts, but figures to snap the losing streak today. Lucky Move (1) is a first time starter for Mark Casse, who seems to get his ready to run any where and every where. Picks up Corey Lanerie, fresh off his smashing record at Churchill Downs this fall. Looks to be training well for the debut. My first Upset Special of the day, though, is Creative Thinking (6), who goes for the barn of Tom Proctor and owner Brereton Jones. This one got the feel for running on the dirt at Laurel.  Now moves to the grass, where she seems to be bred for and should prefer. I look for a big move forward today, and at odds of 8-1 could score a nice one. I bet the 6 (take note) to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in one exacta and then key the 6 (take note) over/under all the numbers listed in a smaller version.

5th: 6-1A-1-4-3-5…Snapper Bite (6) gets back to facing only Louisiana-breds today after two tries against much tougher. Picks up a top rider here and look at the last time he faced these types only — a win three back at The Fairgrounds in March.  Needed the last out and should be fitter today. Brute Strength (1A) and John’s Luck (1) both figure to have a shot in here, as well. The former has hit the board in each of the last six tries, with two wins and three seconds in that mix. Good right now, and the freshener since August should help. The latter is the speedster in this group and comes off two against much-much tougher foes. Will appreciate the class relief and may be tough to handle at this level. I bet the 1A-1 entry (take note) across the board (hoping to hit them both in the money). I then box the top 3 numbers in the exacta (which gives me 4 horses).

6th: 7-9-3-1-4-2…I prefer the top two numbers here over the rest. I give the slight edge to My Man Jax (7), who will be saddled by Brad Cox today. He nearly got the job done on three previous occasions in his first four outs, but just hung a bit in all three. Gets a return visit from Florent Geroux today and should be ready to roll. Teletype (9) is a horse that has been on my HTW list all year. Ran a huge one at Churchill Downs in the fall of 2016, and has faced some real tough customers since then. This son of Tapit just may be ready to break into the circle today. Gets a red hot jock for the mount today. I bet the 9 (take note) to win/place/show and then box the 7-9 in the exacta solidly. I then key those two over the others in a small “saver.”

7th: 2-6-5-4-1…The top 3 in here are superior, in my view. I go with Battle Colors (2) for the team of Casse-Lanerie — who score at a rate of .14% over the last two years. This one popped on debut at Churchill Downs and then tired when facing winners for the first time at Keeneland in October. There were serious traffic issues for most in that finish, and he should improve off the effort. The solid pick. Social Misfit (6) may split the two favorites in here. He has 5 wins over this track and another 7 thirds. I use. Classes Story (5) is another from the barn of Mark Casse and this son of Bernardini cost $250,000 as a 2YO in-training last year. Steady, but not spectacular results in each of the last five tries. But has shown some back class that gives one hope. I bet the 2 to win/place/show and then key the 2 over/under all the other numbers. My first Best Bet.

8th: 5-3-8-2-1-4-11…Landonese (5) is a Pennsylvania-bred who has been running in California. Showed up here on opening day and tired after a nice speed duel for the first half. The winner of that one was disqualified late, but is on my HTW list now and the winner of the race two back ended up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. So…he’s been in good company. Should improve for this wide open affair today. Nobutzaboutit (3) is a first timer for the barn of Joe Sharp, who hits with .10% of these kind. But appears to be training well, and the barn does OK with first on turf and 2YOs, too. Would Could Did (8) is another Texas-bred shipped in by trainer Danny Pish, who is off to a nice start here. Has two starts under his belt and should move up today. Can’t dismiss with Francisco Torres in the saddle. I bet the 5 to win/place/show and then box the top three numbers in one exacta and then key the 5 over/under all the numbers in two more. My second Best Bet / Upset Special at odds of 8-1.

9th: 4-5-1-8-10-1A-3…Autumn Flirt (4) is a first timer for the barn of Al Stall, who jumped out to a quick and demanding lead in the trainer’s race. Has 7 wins and 5 seconds in the first 16 starts here. This one has ben putting up regular and nice works since August. Should be ready on debut, ho a barn that wins with .27% of first timers. Perin the Pirate (5) has had two starts already for Scott Gelner, and nearly won his last out at Delta Downs. Moves up in class here today, but a similar effort today will make this one tough to beat. Hitter (1) and Aint There No More (1A) both are entered for Merrill Scherer, but have the same jock named. One is sure to scratch, but the former is the better of the pair and rates a chance on debut. I bet the 4 to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in one exacta and then key the 4 over/under in two more.

Good Luck & All the Best/Gene