Grade 3 Mineshaft a Wide-Open Betting Race

Hawthorne Gold Cup winner, Red Rifle, is a tepid 3/1 morning line favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher.  The five year-old son of Giant’s Causeway has not raced since the gate-to-wire score in the Gold Cup November 29 and has worked well for his return.  Top west-coast rider Rafael Bejarano will have the mount breaking from post six.  Red Rifle has won 5 of 13 career starts for earnings of $412,520, and has won over a variety of racing surfaces at multiple tracks.

Hard Aces looks finding best form 

Hard Aces (9/2) broke through with a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 104 in his last start, winning the Louisiana Handicap at Fair Grounds by four lengths.  The Larry Jones trainee has won 5 of 19 career starts for earnings of $215,145, and has done his best running at Fair Ground where he is 3-1-1 in six starts.  Hard Aces will break from the rail under jockey Jose Riquelme who guided the five year-old son of Hard Spun to victory in his last start. 

Live longshot loves local strip  

Class Leader (10/1) is a legitimate contender for trainer Neil Howard after returning from a three and a half month layoff to narrowly lose a fast allowance race February 1 at Fair Grounds.  The four year-old son of Smart Strike won has other two starts at Fair Grounds and could be closing late in a wide-open betting race.