Fair Grounds: Horse racing pick of the day for Dec. 4

Weekday picks and plays for Thoroughbred racing.

Friday, Dec. 4

Fair Grounds, Race 2: Allowance (1 mile and 70 yards, 2:29 p.m. ET)

#2 Extra Mile (9-5 on the morning line) is the favorite, after he broke his maiden by nine lengths over this track and distance in January.

But the son of Country Day hasn’t run since, and on Friday he’ll make his first start as a gelding. Extra Mile's fist two starts of his career came for trainer Brad Cox, but he now trained by Alan Klanfer.

With so many changes and question marks surrounding Extra Mile, I’ll take a shot against him with #3 Drilling Report (4-1). A trifecta finishers in his last six starts, Drilling Report was an easy maiden winner at Evangeline Downs two starts back, before he finished third in a 1-mile allowance won by future stakes winner Speaktomeoflove.

Drilling Report has tactical speed and is faster on the Brisnet Speed rating scale than Extra Mile.

Let’s bet the bay gelding to win, then key him on top in the trifecta.

$18 to win on #3 Drilling Report
$1 trifecta: 3 with 2,4,5,6 with 2,4,5,6 ($12)
Total: $30

Good luck!