Gow's Top Gal tops allowance

Saturday's first-level allowance feature for statebred fillies and mares on the turf would appear to have stakes implications with Louisiana-bred Champions Day just two weeks away. It would, that is, if it remains on the grass. Wet weather has resulted in racing being restricted to the main track on roughly half of the 34 racing dates run so far this meet, and that trend is likely to continue. With the infield resembling a swamp Thursday morning, the prospects of any turf racing this weekend are remote, although track management continues to take a day-to-day stance.

Gow's Top Gal appears to be the best play of the nine entered in the mile race following a maiden win and a second at this level over the main track. Trained by Jerry Cart, Gow's Top Gal competed on the grass last year in her final start as a 2-year-old, finishing fourth against Louisiana-bred maiden company. Cart has given the call to Don Simington.

Louisiana Song, a winner at first asking in a one-mile maiden affair on the grass in late May, will try and keep her career record perfect. A daughter of Gold Tribute, she is trained by Dwight Viator and will be ridden once again by Kirk LeBlanc.

Exciting Empress, also a winner of her debut going a mile on the grass, will be making her third start. Trained by Al Stall Jr., she comes off a fourth-place finish over a drying out main track in early June. Donnie Meche will be in the saddle.