Today marks the entrance to the Kentucky Derby Championship races. 23 entrants split across two races are contending to pick up the needed points to enter the 2020 Kentucky Derby. The winners will pickup 50 points apiece. We also have a great stakes race full of Kentucky Oaks contenders. It is going to be a great day of racing down in Louisiana.

Race 1

2-7-11-15

#2 Sweet N Salty Kiss won last time out gate to wire but was later disqualified. I expect her to put up another solid performance. #7 Broadway Lady ran well in her debut and has looked strong in the mornings as well. #11 Dreamalildreamofu has been training well and looks to have a great debut. #15 Skye Snow ran very well after switching to the turf and can contend here today.

Race 2

2-6-4-1

#2 Lastchanceatglory faded late last time out but has been training well since. Look for him to take a step forward today. #6 Airstreem has one start under his belt and looks to be a good spot here. Breeding suggests he will like the distance and trainer wins 23% of second time starters. #4 Fort Knox showed improved form once he switched from sprints to a route. #1 Elite Class has been working well in the mornings since shipping down to Fair Grounds. Watch for that form to translate to today's race.

Race 3

1-5-2-3

#1 Liam's Tempest has one start under her belt but has been on a long break. She has been working very well in the mornings since coming down to Fair Grounds. #5 Salaciousacusation just missed last time out and has hit the board in both previous starts. #2 Ain't No Elmers makes her debut after three straight outstanding morning works and looks to be primed and ready for today. #3 Nasty has shown good morning form and has a hot Jockey/Trainer combo. They are winning 30% together of 50 starts.

Race 4

7-12-11-10

#7 Templet faded in the last 1/16 last time out and shortens up by that distance today. Look for him to be right there at the wire today. #12 Auburn Hills has hit the board in all three career starts including running second in his last two. #11 Free Spender closed strong in his last effort before falling just short. #10 Spanish Kingdom faded a little late and will appreciate a little shorter run today.

Race 5

1-2-3-6

The entry #1 Chestertown and #1A Winning Impression both ran well last time out hitting the board in a similar race to today's conditions. Chestertown was beaten by two horses who moved up to run in the Risen Star Stakes later in the day. #2 Sharecropper won a solid race last time at Churchill before shipping down to Louisiana for the winter. #3 Shake Some Action switches from turf to dirt but did win last time out at this distance. #6 Ranaan won well in his debut and is looking to stretch out today as his pedigree suggests he can.

Race 6

2-1-10-9

#2 Chaos Theory returns after a long layoff. He ran well in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint and is the defending champion of this race having won impressively last year. #1 Fast Boat just missed winning last time out in a similar race to today. Look for him to be in the mix again today. #10 Blind Ambition finished a close 4th last time out and has been working well in the mornings showing he's ready to make his return to the track after his winter off. #9 Just Might is a fast horse that has improved in 4 straight. Another step forward today could find him on top again at a good price.

Race 7

7-2-9-10

#7 Verb has hit the board in 4 straight and could improve today with this being his second start off of a layoff. #2 Malahini has a great pedigree and trainer who does well with first time starters winning at 17%. #9 Quana Dude has been training at today's distance and also being sent out by a trainer who does an excellent job with first time starters, winning 24% of their debuts. #10 Chrystal Sphere looked good in his debut and has been sharp in the morning. A step forward today could lead him to break his maiden in try two.

Race 8

12-2-14-7

#12 Zofelle has won 3 straight since coming over from Great Britain. She will look to make it 4 today. #2 Mitchell Road is a graded stakes winner and has run first and second in her two starts since her layoff. She also won this race last year. #14 Quebec won a solid and similar race in her last effort and will look to duplicate that result today. #7 Don't Tell Marge just missed to Quebec and Zofelle in her last two races. Watch for her to contend again today.

Race 9

4-6-7-11

The ninth race starts our all stakes pick-5 that concludes the day's racing. #4 Silver Dust won a grade 3 last time out here at Fair Grounds against similar company. He is a strong contender to win here today. #6 Hofburg won his only start last year and looks to make a strong return to the track this year. He ran 7th in the Kentucky Derby 2 years back. #7 Blended Citizen has put up 2 seconds and a win since switching trainers. I see no reason to believe he won't contend again today. #11 Pirate's Punch is stepping up in class today but won decisively last time out by 11 lengths. He can contend here today with a good price.

Race 10

1-2-5-9

#1 Wound Tight won a great race last time out at Santa Anita leading gate to wire. He has the talent to repeat that result today. #2 Synchrony returns today after a long layoff to a track where he has won 4 of 5 starts with his lone loss coming to last year's Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar. #5 Dontblamerocket comes in a three race winning streak including a stakes win. #9 Captivating Moon was coming like a freight train last time out but fell short. He should appreciate a little extra distance today and will be coming in hot late.

Race 11

6-7-5-2

#6 British Idiom makes her 2020 debut today and is a great spot to continue her winning ways. She's 3 for 3 lifetime including two Grade 1s, one of which was the Juvenile Fillies at the Breeder's Cup. I see no reason she should not win today. If she does get upset, it could be by #7 Finite. She comes in having won 4 straight including a Grade 2 and the Silverbulletday stakes here at Fair Grounds last month. #5 Tempers Rising closed well in the Silverbulletday just missing by a neck. #2 Ursula also ran well in that race also just missing by a neck.

Race 12 Risen Star Division 1

8-7-1-2

With 23 entrants, the decision was made split the horses up into two races both worth 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby Points. #8 Enforceable comes in after scoring a solid win in the Grade 3 Lecomte last time out. He will want to take another step forward towards the Kentucky Derby. #7 Blackberry Wine steps up in competition today but scored a great win last time out here at Fair Grounds while returning to the dirt. #1 Digital just missed out to Blackberry Wine in his last start. He will want to show some improvement today to get by. #2 Silver State ran well finishing second to Enforceable last time out in their Grade 3. Look for him to contend again today.

Race 13 Risen Star Division 2

8-5-12-11

#8 Anneau d'Or makes his 2020 debut today at Fair Grounds. He has run second in his last two by a head and a neck. He will look to push a little more and get that Graded Stakes win he has been so close to. #5 Liam's Lucky Charm won a good race last time out at Tampa and put down a bullet work in his last workout. #12 Ny Traffic won impressively last time out for his new trainer and has been extremely sharp in the mornings as well. #11 Mailman Money is two for two lifetime and won impressively last time out.

Best of luck today! I hope that you have a great and exciting day.