Betting With, and Against, Just a Touch in the Louisiana Stakes

A solid field of eight will travel 1 1/6 miles on the dirt at Fair Grounds in Saturday’s $175,000 Louisiana (G3). Leading the way in the penultimate race on the card is the Brad Cox-trained #8 Just a Touch (8-5), who seeks to secure his initial graded stakes trophy. 

Just a Touch – With

• $2 superfecta 8 with 1,7 with 1,7 with all ($20)
• $1 superfecta 8 with 1,7 with all with 1,7 ($10)

Just a Touch – Against

• $5 trifecta 1,7 with 1,7,8 with 1,7,8 ($20)
• 50-cent trifecta 1,7 with 1,7,8 with all ($12)

By Justify, the five-year-old is the clear one to beat and owns two Grade-1 placings in his lifetime, with a runner-up result in the 2024 Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland as well as a third in the Met Mile (G1) at Saratoga in the summer. Unraced following a second in the Monmouth Cup (G3) on July 19, the bay has been working in swift fashion leading up to his 2026 debut and has secured a fine post slot on the outside of the field. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be forcing the tempo early atop the formidable Kentucky-bred. 

The major knock against the favorite is his lack of a black-type win to date after placing in five stakes tilts in advance of Saturday, and there are two solid alternatives to the leading choice in this heat. #1 Moonlight (9-2) broke through with his first stakes triumph last time out when rallying late in the Cherokee Mile S. at Churchill Downs in his 2025 finale. The Chris Block pupil boasts the top turn of foot in the cast, and in a field with plenty of early pace in the mix, the son of Audible might sit a dream trip from the fence while saving ground throughout under Jose Ortiz. He was a 9 3/4-length allowance victor in his most recent attempt over the Fair Grounds oval, too. 

Mike Maker’s #7 Willy D’s (4-1) has been an outstanding claim by his current connections, and the stakes hero was last seen finishing a commendable second in the Tinsel S. at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 20. The five-year-old son of Lookin at Lucky possesses excellent early speed and has a trio of lifetime wins at the distance, as well, in preparation for his first run at this venue. Kentucky-bred gelding earned a strong 99 Brisnet Speed rating most recently and will be a major force against this cast with even minor improvement under the guidance of Ricardo Santana, Jr.