US Horse Racing Tips: Paul’s super six on Louisiana Derby day

It's very much a super Saturday on the racing front Stateside, as Fair Grounds stages a 14-race card centred around the $1m Louisiana Derby.

Our US Horse Racing tipster Paul Quigley has studied the cards and come up with SIX selections for your consideration.

20:32 Fair Grounds - Nine Part @ SP

NINE PART (1) was only a neck away from making it six-from-six in his career last time out.

He made a successful switch to the turf to win a conditions event over course and distance last month. The five-year-old did it well scoring by two plus lengths from Monsieur Candy (5) and Sassi D (4). He looks the horse to beat.

The chances are he’s well below 2/1, so may make the market for others. The best alternatives to him may be Monsieur Candy (5) and Strong Promise (2).

The former pressed a hot pace when behind the favourite last time. Strong Promise (2) won a stake on the dirt at Delta Downs last month. All his three turf races were good ones including two victories.

21:04 Fair Grounds - Life and Times @ SP

Touchuponastar (2) is a Louisiana-bred for the ages. Most of his 20 career victories have come in state-bred stakes. He did upset top-notcher Sierra Leone in this race in 2025. He’s holding his form well with four blowout victories since he returned in October.

He may be involved in a speed duel with Westwood (1) and Not This Boy (5). That’s what happened to LIFE AND TIMES (4) when he blotted his copybook at Gulfstream last time. If Flavien Prat takes back a little early, he could rebound.

All bar one of these have been on, or close to the lead in their last races. In theory, the one closer in here Corporate Power (6) should get a good set up. He’s not as good as the best of these but did take a step forward running first time for trainer Steve Asmussen on his return from a long absence. He may be worth a saver or using in the forecast at least.

21:36 Fair Grounds - Program Trading @ SP

It may be decent prices bar two runners. PROGRAM TRADER (7) is a Grade 1 winner. He was made favourite for The Grade 1 Pegasus Turf on his comeback. Ultimately he was disappointing, but looking at that race and the other grass stake, he may have been racing on the worse part of the track. Now dropping in class, he is a logical contender.

The other runner who will take money is Lagynos (4). He ran a-career best when winning a Grade 3 prep for this race. The five-year-old did it well by two plus lengths. If he can repeat that run, he can put it up to Program Trading (7) and the rest.

Two runners that finished behind him last time are interesting. The runner up Montador (2) is a progressive type. He was caught in traffic and is better than the result suggests. Idratherbeblessed (3) had no visible excuses. He got an easy lead and caused an 80/1 upset to win this race last year.

22:08 Fair Grounds - Bella Ballerina @ SP

The unbeaten Bella Ballerina (5) is the gal to beat.

She has won back-to-back Grade 2s since breaking her maiden at first time of asking. On her three-year-old debut, she beat Luv Your Neighbor (4) by half a length. It is unlikely her trainer Brendan Walsh had her fully cranked up for that so she should improve.

Luv Your Neighbor is holding her from well but has become a bit of a bridesmaid. She's a possible scratch - and in that case, Bella Ballerina will definitely be odds-on.

There are two other alternatives to her. Life of Joy (6) ran second to one of the Kentucky Oaks ante-post favourites in a stake at Tampa last month.

Newtown Pike (2) may have more improvement in her. She looked unlucky not to beat a talented filly in a stake at Oaklawn last time. Her trainer did report she had been sick about a month ago and had to miss some work. If it wasn’t for that issue, she would have been the play in here. She may still go well.

Love and Trust (7) broke her maiden second time out. If early speed is winning the early races, you have to upgrade her upset chances somewhat.

22:25 Turfway Park - Turf Star @ SP

With a big purse as well as plenty of Kentucky Derby qualifying points, this race has attracted a large and competitive field. It makes it a good betting race with many ways to go.

Fulleffort (2) fared the best of a few of these when second in a local stakes prep for this last month. He is a player, but the proximity of Maximus Prime (7) and Baytown Dreamer (3) tempers enthusiasm.

Two Out Hero (4) was well beaten in that race. It was his first run since September. He looked promising in a trio of starts as a juvenile including third to Argos (10) in a Grade 1 at Woodbine.

There are a pair of shippers from California that are contenders. Medici (6) followed up a maiden breaker with a narrow loss in a stake at Santa Anita. He has speed in a race where it may pay to be near the lead. Like many of these, he is an unknown on Tapeta.

Stark Contrast (11) is another. He beat everything besides Aidan O’Brien’s Gstaad in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. On his three-year-old debut, he confirmed that improvement by winning a stake at Santa Anita. Strictly on class, he is the horse to beat.

TURF STAR (1) and Argos (10) finished behind Stark Contrast (11) at The Breeders’ Cup. Both had far from clean trips, though. The rail drawn runner is likely to be all the better for his comeback. He has the pedigree to handle the surface switch. At a likely double-figure price, he may be worth a small interest.

Argos is a Grade 1 winner. He has been switched to trainer Brad Cox after a modest comeback run. He’s worked well locally and runs in blinkers for the first time.

Black Hornet (5) and Chaos Agent (8) may not be the big prices indicated on the morning line. The penny has suddenly dropped with the first-named. He followed up a maiden win with a stakes victory at The Fair Grounds. He’s interesting.

So too is Chaos Agent (8). He looked very professional when winning his only start to date on The Tapeta at Gulfstream. There may be a lot better to come from him second time out.

22:42 Fair Grounds - Chip Honcho @ SP

The leader in the clubhouse is CHIP HONCHO (3). He ran a career-best when giving Kentucky Derby ante-post favourite Paladin plenty to think about in a Grade 2 here last month.

His knockers can point out he was flattered on the lead without any pace pressure. The chances are he may do so again. If nothing improves and he runs the same race, he’s likely to win this.

Golden Tempo (5) and Universe (4) finished behind him last time. Of the pair, Golden Tempo seems to have the more upside.

It is a surprise Emerging Market (9) gets a big class test on only career start number two. It seems a sign of the confidence his connections have in him. His debut was really good. He only won a maiden at Tampa narrowly but there was a space back to the third. The speed figure he ran was higher than any of his rivals. He could go either way on career start number two. Chad Brown’s colt is the runner to fear.

Blacksmith (7) is another last-time-out maiden winner. He is already Grade 2-placed and runs as if this longer distance will suit. The Brad Cox-trained pair have achieved less but are unexposed.

Autobahn (2) and Easterly (8) are also last time graduates. The last named may have the more improvement in him.

Pavlovian (1) ran a career best when second in a stake at Sunland Park last month.

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