Woodchopper, Pago Hop on tap for Fair Grounds' post-Christmas card

Fair Grounds will host a trio of stakes next Saturday, one day after Christmas, with a pair of one-mile turf events for three-year-olds as well as the six-furlong Pan Zareta S. for distaffers.

An overflow group of 15 colts and geldings entered the $75,000 Woodchopper on the grass.

With such a diversified bunch, it’s no surprise that 7-2 is the lowest odds on the morning-line. Those belong to Wireless Future, who racked up three straight wins last winter at Fair Grounds for trainer Tom Amoss. The Scat Daddy colt hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since a seven-length allowance score last February but is exiting a nice third going 1 1/6 miles over the turf in an allowance/optional claimer.

In second that day was the re-opposing Chip Leader, who held the early lead but was unable to stop the winner.

Also entered in the Woodchopper is Grade 3-placed stakes winner Firespike and last-out Commonwealth Turf S. (G3) fourth Granny’s Kitten.

The $75,000 Pago Hop S. drew the biggest, and overdrawn, field with 16 sophomore fillies entered.

Madamoiselle Bond is the 3-1 morning-line favorite as she makes her stateside stakes debut. The Leo Rodriguez pupil has plenty of U.S. race experience under her girth, and is exiting a close fifth against allowance rivals sprinting over the course on December 3.

America Mon Amie brings black-type acumen into the Pago Hop after capturing the Northbound Pride Oaks in June and just missing by three parts of a length when fourth in the Pucker Up S. (G3) at Arlington in mid-August.

Only five entered the $60,000 Pan Zareta but four of the runners are exiting nice stakes wins.

Thirteen Arrows, the 9-5 favorite on the morning-line, actually just earned her first stakes victory when taking the Zia Park Distaff by 2 1/4 lengths on November 25. The Larry Jones trainee’s only other stakes attempt resulted in a last-of-eight run in the Prioress S. (G2) at Saratoga in late August.

Super Saks is no stranger to stakes but also just added a stakes triumph to her resume thanks to her last race. Conditioned by D. Wayne Lukas, the gray miss wired the Dream Supreme S. at Churchill Downs.

House of Sole, the only filly in the field not to win last out, was second by three parts of a length in the Dream Supreme.

Steel Cut, who romped by seven lengths in her most recent effort against starter allowance stakes company, and Battle of New Orleans S. heroine Adrianne G complete the field.

Firespike photo courtesy of Leslie Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography