The FG Handicap – GIII
FG Race 11 1 1/8M – Turf
Purse $150.000
Four Year Olds and Up

A field of eleven turf runners are entered up here to be contesting this years edition of the FG Handicap over a mile and an eighth of this Fair Grounds turf course. This race is part of a card full of stakes races and I think it is one of the most competitive on the day. Now let’s go ahead and take a look at the field.

1. Call Me Spanish (17-4-2-2 $487.100), trained by Maxmillion Farm

Well here is the first runner that we come to and this is a horse that is a graded stakes winner. He won the grade two Hill Prince at Belmont last October over this same distance. He didn’t run too well in the grade one Hollywood Derby last time. He is coming into this race fresh and may have an alright chance.

2. Minnesota Moni (32-10-2-6 $327.650), trained by The Sidley Stud

Here we have another graded stakes winner in the field. This horse won the River City Handicap during last November at Churchill Downs. In his last two starts he hasn’t ran too well and I am not too sure why. He will need to turn it around in here if he wants to have any chance to win.

3. Moms Guy (45-12-5-4 $811.270), trained by Mb Stables

While this horse is also a graded stakes winner he hasn’t actually won a graded stakes race since early in 2017 at Gulfstream Park. In his recent race he has beaten allowance fields and high level claimers. He is actually on a four race win streak but this is a big step up on class compared to the foes he beat in those wins.

4. Sinister Sunset (18-5-4-3 $334.860), trained by Team 7 Illusions

Now this horse is coming into this race off of three straight wins. His last race was a win in a California bred stakes race at Santa Anita which he won by a neck. He is on a three race win streak so he is on a roll at the moment but this is a step up in class so I’m not sure if he will be able to keep it rolling.

5. Inverted Calibration (28-9-5-4 $361.680), trained by Nakamura Stables

Once again we come to another graded stakes winner in this field but it has been since last July since that win. That was actually the last time he has hit the board in a race as he has ran no good against about this same group of class. I’m not sure he will have that much of a chance if he runs like he has been.

6. Butter Ball (13-6-1-4 $126.860), trained by Aml Racing

Well this horse isn’t a stakes winner like of most this field but he is a very solid horse. He switched to being a regular on the turf course last July and since then he has won three starts and had two thirds in five starts on the turf. I don’t know if he can actually win this race but I wouldn’t count him out.

7. Penitentiary (20-3-1-3 $218.570), trained by D J C Racing Stables

While this horse isn’t a graded stakes winner he is a stakes winner against New York bred competition. He is graded stakes placed though so he has some class. He is not a bad horse at all but I don’t know if he is ready to beat a field like this. Maybe he will surprise me and win this spot though.

8. Private Sector (18-7-3-1 $392.500), trained by Allinthegate

Another one that is a stakes winner in this field and he has actually won four stakes wins in his career. He hasn’t been able to break into a win against graded stakes company but he has been very close before. He will have to run a big race to win it but I think he is capable of doing that.

9. People Doubted (17-5-5-1 $1,293.350), trained by Aml Racing

Now this right here is a very surprising entry in the race. He is obviously the class of the field but he is coming into this race off of a two week rest which is very surprising and he is also giving up from nine to twelve pounds to his competitors. I think he is the class of the field but all the factors are going to be against him.

10. The Ego Has Landed (14-2-1-4 $85.660), trained by TwinTowers Racing

Well here is the least accomplished horse in the field right here for sure. He only has two career wins to date and they were only against maiden special weight and statebred optional claimer in his last out. He is definitely going to have to run a career best to even have a decent chance at winning this race.

11. Balsamic Moon (13-5-2-2 $212.880), trained by John Henry

Now we come to the final runner in the field and this horse is also a graded stakes winner in his own right. It has been rough since he won the grade three American Derby last summer because he only has one second in four starts since that win. He is going to have run a huge race to win here.

Summary

This race is full of very good horses for sure but I do think People Doubted is the class of this field. He is giving up a whole lot of weight and he is coming off of a short rest so a lot of factors are against him but I just think the he is way better than this field on his best day. Good luck to all in the race.

9-4-3-6

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES