Fair Grounds Prep Race Picks for Saturday 1/21/23

The Fair Grounds meet continues Saturday with the Road to the Derby Day on Jan. 21. Six stakes races are featured headlined by the Lecomte Stakes -- a Kentucky Derby prep race. Saturday's card features 14 races with post time to start the day at 1:00 p.m. ET.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes, monitor the weather and keep an eye on the track conditions.

(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races after adjusting for track, distances, and conditions).

Fair Grounds Betting

Here are some of the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing today.

1. Chop Chop and The Alys Look, Race 12

FanDuel Racing Odds: 8/5 and 3/1
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Race 12 is the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile and 70 yards. This Kentucky Oaks prep race figures to go the favorite Chop Chop's (8/5) way. He's trained by Brad Cox along with The Alys Look (3/1).

Chop Chop looks best with two wins and a Grade 1 runner-up before missing badly in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in her last race. Norah G (8-1) has been really solid in recent starts and won from off the pace less than a month ago. All three of her starts have been at this track. The Alys Look has raced well enough to beat this group, including a runner-up finish in her stakes debut less than a month ago.

2. Forza Di Oro and Run Classic, Race 13

FanDuel Racing Odds: 9/2 and 4/1
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Race 13 is the $150,000 Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes for older horses at 1 1/16 miles. Zozos (3/1) and Forza Di Oro (9/2) are two more Brad Cox-trained runners expected to contend for the win. Zozos is the least experienced runner with just five career races.

Forza Di Oro has four wins in 10 starts but neither of his 2022 starts were wins. Cox took over from trainer Bill Mott after the colt had previously posted five straight races with triple-digit speed figures.

Run Classic (4/1) has had his two best races at seven furlongs and one mile. He's hit triple-digit speed figures in his last three races with a win and runner-up finish, and also broke his maiden here.

3. Instant Coffee and Echo Again, Race 14

FanDuel Racing Odds: 5/2 and 6/1
Bet Now at TVG | Bet Now at FanDuel

Race 14 is the $200,000 Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. The Kentucky Derby prep race awards qualifying points to the top 5 finishers. The favorite is Instant Coffee (5/2) ridden by top jockey Luis Saez for trainer Brad Cox, who is 12-3-2 in 19 races since Dec. 17. Cox has never won the Lecomte, however. Instant Coffee makes his 2023 debut after winning last time out in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club.

Two Phil's (4-1) breaks from the outside No. 8 post and has proven to be able to handle these conditions in previous starts. Echo Again (6/1) from the rail is a Steve Asmussen-trained son of the great Gun Runner and has races good enough to beat this group. This one has really consistent pace figures and raced on the front end last month before giving way to finish third.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.