Fair Grounds Spot Plays for Dec. 20

The four days when it hosts the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) preps are usually the highest-quality cards of Fair Grounds' winter meet. Saturday's program is one of them, and fans of two-year-old maiden races will find much to chew on outside of the four stakes on offer.

Here are several horses of interest on the 12-race card.

Race 1: Maiden, 1:45 p.m. ET

Trainer Al Stall Jr. has started the Fair Grounds meet 4-for-9, all of his wins coming in maiden races. While he tends to win such races with horses that have prior experience, #6 Rani (9-2) perhaps can be an exception.

By Omaha Beach, Rani is out of the Grade 3-placed Famous Alice, who won at first asking. Rani is also closely related to Kingsolver, a daughter of Omaha Beach and granddaughter of Famous Alice, who captured the Schuylerville S. at second asking in July.

In addition to an appealing pedigree, Rani has posted a healthy string of works since early August, punctuated by a recent bullet four furlongs from the gate last week. In a field where few of the previous starters stand out, Rani might fare quite well on debut.

Race 5: Maiden, 3:45 p.m. ET

#8 Lady Iva (9-2) has blown hot and cold in a quartet of starts, but seemed to have excuses for her two lesser efforts. She was beaten at very short odds second out when lacking a clear run in the stretch, and last time wilted after setting the pace in an off-the-turf heat that was contested over the slop.

Although the Bret Calhoun barn has started the meet a tad cool, either of Lady Iva's better efforts, if repeated, would make her a significant player here.

Race 9: Buddy Diliberto Memorial, 5:45 p.m. ET

It took more than 2 1/2 years and a barn switch before #2 Kupuna (7-2) was tested on the grass for a second time. Not only did the veteran turn in a 15-1 upset for Norm Casse, who had claimed him for $100,000 in his previous start, but he beat a credible field that included Grade 2-placed Northern Invader and recent Mint Millions (G3) hero Epic Ride.

This will be a taller order. Gigante and Idratherbeblessed, one-two in last year's Diliberto Memorial, are among his rivals, but Kupuna perhaps has been longing for the turf a long time and can repeat that Churchill allowance success at a fair price.

Race 10: Untapable S., 6:15 p.m. ET

With the exception of a toss-out try over Tapeta at Woodbine, #1 Luv Your Neighbor (6-1) has looked like a filly crying out for more distance. She was just up in time to take her debut over seven furlongs at Colonial, and last time ran out of real estate when falling a half-length short of Paving in a six-furlong allowance over this strip.

Luv Your Neighbor has yet to run over fast dirt, which she likely gets for the first time on Saturday, but that concern is offset by the seemingly positive opportunity to stretch out for the first time.