Fair Grounds Blog

Got some time here before the stakes begin so let’s put together a ticket for today’s excellent all-stakes Pick Four, which starts with Race 6, the Mineshaft Handicap.

Check back here beginning around 2 p.m. CST for instant recaps, analysis, whining, bellyaching, second-guessing and self-loathing during today's six stakes races.

Entries are out for Saturday’s Grade III Risen Star Stakes and it’s a great race in both of the most important ways—quality and (even though it’s not really a word) betability.

The passing of Joe Hirsch, the greatest turfwriter, dominated my thoughts all day on Friday.

Just like the horses we bet on, sometimes a change of venue can help a handicapper, too.

There are some habits I have a hard time breaking even though I know they're bad for me.

It's the most highly anticipated Thursday afternoon allowance in recent memory, if you don't count the first time it was carded a week ago.

Well at least we picked the winner on top.

Had some technical difficulties after the Turf, and no, it wasn't because I threw my laptop out of the press box window in disgust.

We wouldn't haver minded a longer price in the one race we spread the most in, but who are we to complain about having the fourth choice in the win pool to kick off the Pick Four?