Fair Grounds Spot Plays for Risen Star Day Feb. 14, 2026

A tremendous 12-race card awaits fans at Fair Grounds on Saturday for Risen Star Day, and there's not a claiming race in sight. While I have shared several selections for the TwinSpires Triple Play segment on the Feb. 14 edition of Horse Racing Radio Network's Equine Forum, I also want to draw attention to a couple of Al Stall trainees that could be live on Saturday.

Race 1: Maiden, 1 p.m. ET

#8 Rani (9-2) was a spot play selection in this space when she debuted on Dec. 20. Bet down to 2.80-1, she didn't fare badly at all, but in retrospect likely needed an initial run. With that 1 3/4-length loss behind her, I suspect the daughter of Omaha Beach will take a step forward in this 5 1/2-furlong turf dash while getting Luis Saez in the saddle.

Race 6: Allowance, 3:30 p.m. ET

The Stall-trained #4 Banned for Life (8-1) perhaps is more exposed than I would like heading into his fifth crack at passing his second-level allowance condition. However, like Rani, I view his Jan. 15 try at this level as a race he likely needed. He understandably tired through the stretch after making a middle move, given it was his first start since late May and only his second dating back to March 8 of last year.

Banned for Life ran fast in his two lifetime wins, a maiden at Saratoga and an N1X allowance at Churchill, and the barn's recent record of four wins from eight starters, second time back from a six-month or longer layoff, is encouraging.

Race 5: Maiden, 3 p.m. ET

And to review one of my three selections from the TwinSpires Triple Play, first-time starter #6 Prima Donna (12-1) is an interesting candidate in Race 5, a one-mile turf maiden for three-year-old fillies, which has a post time of 3 p.m. ET.

Trainer Mike Stidham is well familiar with the daughter of Gun Runner's family. He trained her dam, the stakes-placed Masquerade, and also two notable offspring she has already produced. Princess Grace was a five-time graded stakes winner and Grade/Group 1-placed in the U.S. and Australia, while Catnip was a Grade 3 winner who placed twice at the Grade 1 level.

Another daughter of Masquerade was Mixologist, who won at first asking over the turf at Churchill Downs. The aforementioned Princess Grace was also a debut winner at Colonial Downs, while Catnip needed only two starts to break his maiden.

If she can run at all like her half-siblings, Prima Donna could be live at a price in Saturday's fifth in New Orleans.