Bourbon Cowboy gets distance test in Black Gold

A pair of $60,000 turf stakes, the Dixie Poker Ace for older Louisiana-breds and the Black Gold Stakes for 3-year-olds, highlight the 10-race Saturday program at Fair Grounds.

The purse for the Dixie Poker Ace feels about right, especially since the best Louisiana-bred turf horse going, String King, is awaiting the far-richer Mervin Muniz Handicap on March 28. In his absence, Cougar Bait can win his second straight Fair Grounds turf race, though his morning-line price of 8-1 is a pipe dream on the heels of a sharp grass-allowance score over statebred-restricted allowance competition.

But like so many recent listed stakes at this meet, the Black Gold purse seems light, and at most relatively major venues, this is a six-figure stakes race, even with Wireless Future, who had been pointed here until about a week ago, opting for the March 21 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park instead.

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KEY CONTENDERS

Bourbon Cowboy (Last 3 Beyers: 81-93-39)

◗ Distance, not quality, is the major question here. Bourbon Cowboy has raced seven times, with two wins, three thirds, and a fourth, and his only poor performance came in his lone two-turn try, the Display Stakes over Polytrack at Woodbine last year.

◗ The Black Gold, though, hardly is a marathon trip, the 7 1/2 furlongs just one lap around the oval. Bourbon Cowboy rates well enough to suggest that the Display flop doesn’t fully represent his chance to stay this distance.

◗ This is his turf debut, but he has run well on synthetic and dirt, and his sire, Cowboy Cal, was a graded-stakes-class turf performer.

◗ Gave the talented Cinco Charlie a run in the Sugar Bowl Stakes two starts ago. Won last time despite appearing to spin his wheels on a sloppy track.

Another Lemon Drop (Last 3 Beyers: 81-85-81)

◗ Wisely back to turf after finishing fourth in the Lecomte Stakes. While far from embarrassed in that dirt race, Another Lemon Drop got a perfect trip and could not finish with the top three.

◗ Made his first two starts on turf and won second out (first Lasix) going nine furlongs: If anything, the Black Gold is on the short side for him.

◗ A lightly made horse, he should be observed in the paddock and post parade to make certain he is carrying proper condition going into this race.

Lucky Player (Last 3 Beyers: 70-75-75)

◗ The only graded stakes winner in the race, he won the Grade 3 Iroquois last September at Churchill Downs.

◗ Ran somewhat flat in his 3-year-old debut, finishing a distant eighth in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park.

◗ Trainer Steve Asmussen said Lucky Player wasn’t entered in the hopes that the race got rained onto the main track, and that his connections are interested in trying turf with the son of Lookin at Lucky.