Fair Grounds Race Course Picks – Saturday, January 23, 2021

Fair Grounds Race Course gives us plenty to think about with its ten-race schedule of maiden, allowance, and claiming races for Saturday.

Since two of the three races I review for Saturday are on turf, I’ll note here that New Orleans expects scattered showers throughout the day, with temps in the mid-60s and winds around nine mph.

Read on for my Fair Grounds Race Course picks and tips for Saturday, January 23, 2021.

This is an allowance optional claiming race for three-year-old fillies running a distance of about one mile on turf for a purse of $46,000.

I like one of the second-favored entries (there are two at 7/2) in this race — Magnetism, ridden by Adam Beschizza. This filly moneyed both of her career starts, breaking her maiden back in September at Monmouth Park, then finishing second in an allowance match at Fair Grounds in December.

At 15/1, I like Princess d’Oro, with Marcelino Pedroza aboard, for a value show ticket. This filly moneyed two of her four career starts, winning one.

This is a maiden special weight race for three-year-olds and upward running a distance of 1-1/16 miles for a purse of $50,000.

I’m agreeing with the morning line here and betting on the 8/5 favorite — Gold Double, with Brian J. Hernandez, Jr. in the irons. This four-year-old colt moneyed his single career start with a third-place finish in December at Fair Grounds.

I see no longer-odds entries in this race worth risking a show ticket.

This is an allowance optional claiming race for fillies and mares four years old and upward running a distance of about 1-1/16 miles on turf for a purse of $47,000.

I’m buying a win ticket on one of the third-favored entries (there are five at 6/1, counting the coupled entries as a single horse) in this race — Flashing Red, with Declan Carroll in the irons. This four-year-old filly moneyed seven of her nine career starts, winning three (which gives her the statistically best record in this 12-horse race.

I don’t see any entry likely to finish in the money in this race at high enough odds to make a show bet worthwhile.

Fair Grounds Race Course let its freak flag fly, and we haven’t even gotten to the great opportunities at the other two tracks I reviewed for Saturday: