After turning a nice profit with my top picks on Wednesday and Thursday night, we came up short last night with my selections at Charles Town and Delta Downs.

We did knock down four exactas in seven races using my contenders, paying $15.00, $9.00, $35.80, and $50.80, but my personal bankroll ended up in the red, as I managed just three of four in Delta’s late Pick 4, and the tickets I did cash at Charles Town were on the light side.

Charles Town already canceled for Saturday and Sunday as a snowstorm is going to spank the east coast.

We will head to Bayou Country for Saturday, as Fair Grounds offers up a 13 race card that includes nine stakes races.

Here are three of my best plays on the card:

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Fair Grounds Race 6 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint S. Post time 2:25 CT)

#5 Cajun Conference 6/1
#8 Master Link 5/2
#6 Seven Sevenythree 5/1
#10 Carmel Coffee 7/2

#5 Cajun Conference went gate to wire at 6/5 last out beating state bred Alw-2 company and is perfect in two trips over the main track at Fair Grounds. She was in the mix in state bred stakes company in her three previous starts going two turns but looks better suited sprinting. Her previous sprint came in the Salute Stakes going seven furlongs and she missed in a photo. She owns a solid pace profile throughout and she left something in the tank despite earning a career top speed fig in her last start.

#8 Master Link had a trough trip last out as the beaten chalk. The filly had to steady when caught in tight quarters on the far turn, had to check when trying to squeeze through an opening in the stretch, then finished up well when clear, missing the runner up spot by a head. She is a two time stakes winner including winning the Louisiana Lassie over the main track here last December as a two year old.

Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 7/2 or better.
EX: 5,8 / 5,6,8,10
TRI: 5,8 / 5,6,8,10 / 3,5,6,8,10

Fair Grounds Race 7 Esplande S. (Post time 2:54 CT)

#2 Juliet’s Spirit 5/1
#1 She’s Our Annie 3/1
#4 Northern Belle 4/1
#6 Hotlantic 6/1

#2 Juliet’s Spirit returns off a 2 ½ month break, last out a non threatening seventh over yielding turf. It’s tough to get a good read on this gal as she has only raced on a fast main track once in her career, winning the 4 ½ furlong Lady Charles Town. Six of her other trips came on the fake stuff. She earned a career top two back in the slop at the Spa in a third place finish in the Victory ride (G3). That was a good effort against a solid group. The winner was Sara Louise, who most recently won the Top Flight (G2) and the runner up Bold Union has won a pair of stakes since that race.

#1 She’s Our Annie came off a eight month layoff with a sharp win in the Dream Supreme, her four win in a row. Two back she ran huge at Oaklawn park, earning a 102 Beyer. She does not have a published work since her last outing and while her 3/1 morning line looks fair, she seems more likely to be 8/5.

Fair Grounds Race 9 Daily Racing Form Distaff S. (Post time 3:53 CT)

#4 War Echo 9/5
#1 No Use Denying 5/1
#3 Pleasantly Blessed 7/2
#6 Unforgotten 5/2

#4 War Echo was a sharp winner last out against Alw-2 foes at Churchill Downs in her second start off a seven month layoff. The effort two back off the bench at Belmont Park was not pretty but she looks back on track. Her effort three back when she won the Silverbulletday was outstanding and she beat two very nice fillies in Just Jenda and Four Gifts and three runners came out of that race to win next out. She has plenty of pedigree to handle going nine furlongs.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 8/5 or better.
EX: 1,4 / 1,3,4
TRI: no play

Fair Grounds Race 10 Louisiana Champions Day Turf S. (Post time 4:23 CT)

#9 Desert Wheat 2/1
#2 Wildrally 8/1
#4 Lee’s Spirit 8/1
#3 Nowandforevermore 9/2

#9 Desert Wheat made a good late rally to roll by the field to win the Mr Sulu last out off a 2 ½-month break for the Mott barn. The six year old has now won 4 of 11 over the turf at Fair Grounds and has handled ground with some give to it. The six year old missed winning this race last year over soft footing by a neck. There looks like there should be enough pace in here to set things up for him to win right back.

#2 Wildrally won this race last year and had a three race win streak snapped last out in the Mr Sulu where he stalked the early pace and had no punch in the stretch in a seventh place finish. He finished behind four he faces again today but the gelding is better than he showed last out and I think he bounces back here with a much better effort. If he runs back to his efforts two and three back where he beat open Alw-3 optional claimers that will put him in the mix here and his 8/1 morning line looks fair enough.

Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 9/5 or better.
EX: 2,9 / 2,3,4,9
TRI: 2,9 / 2,3,4,9 / 1,2,3,4,9

Good luck today!