Pick 4 of the Week: Fair Grounds Saturday, Feb. 14

The quartet of graded stakes races on the robust Saturday card will comprise the Pick 4 of the Week at Fair Grounds. 

Race 9 Wager

• 50-cent Pick 4: 2,4,5,6 with 2,6,7,9 with 1,3,5,7 with 4 ($32)

Race 9 – Mineshaft (G3)

The opening leg of the sequence will be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the main surface. #2 Accelerize (4-1) is three-for-four lifetime and showed a lot of heart late when battling back in the Louisiana (G3) in his local debut. The lightly raced son of Omaha Beach will be in the mix from the break under Johnnie V. 

#4 Moonlight (6-1) will make his second run off the short layoff and could offer value in the play for Chris Block. Chad Brown’s #5 Time to Win (4-1) could be a factor in his stakes debut, and $8.9 million earner and horse to beat #6 Hit Show (9-5), will also make the ticket to get things started. 

Race 10 – Fair Grounds (G3)

An excellent cast of turf performers will run nine panels on the lawn in the second piece of the play. Grade 2 victor #2 Brilliant Berti (4-1), Michael Stidham’s #6 Montador (6-1), Colonel Bradley S. star #7 Kupuna (3-1), and $1.7 million earner #9 Lagynos (7-2) will make my ticket. 

Race 11 – Rachel Alexandra (G2)

A strong field of eight sophomore fillies will run 1 1/16 miles on the dirt in the third part of the sequence. I can’t find a single in the affair and will use half of the cast to get through the difficult dirt route. Golden Rod (G2) third #1 Just Singing (7-2), Golden Rod heroine #3 Bella Ballerina (2-1), as well as impressive maiden winners #5 Powered by Family (9-2) and #7 Majestical (4-1), will be included. 

Race 12 – Risen Star (G2)

The feature attracted a fine cast of eight three-year-old Derby hopefuls, but I think that morning-line choice #4 Paladin (8-5) will be super tough to close out the card. The Chad Brown trainee was flattered when the horse he beat in the Remsen (G2) romped at Tampa Bay last weekend, and the Gun Runner colt simply looks too tough for me to go against.