Tough to take short odds on Room to Finish in Red Camelia

No, it’s not the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, but the $60,000 Red Camelia Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds is well worth a look.

The one-mile grass race for older Louisiana-bred fillies and mares drew a dozen entrants, and there’s a case to be made for many.

Room to Finish is listed as the 7-2 morning-line favorite, a reasonable guess, and the favorite in this race could be an even higher price. Room to Finish has been taking somewhat surprising betting action throughout this meet, going off at 3-1 or lower in all four of her starts during the Fair Grounds season, including the Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Turf, where she finished second as the 6-5 favorite.

Room to Finish, who has improved since trainer Wayne Catalano began racing her in blinkers five starts ago, probably fell too far behind the leaders in the Ladies Turf, and Catalano told Fair Grounds publicity she probably raced too close to the pace two starts ago in a subpar performance facing open second-level allowance rivals. Indeed, Room to Finish is good enough to win the Red Camelia, but not so superior she doesn’t need things to go her way. She also has an outside draw in post 9, and just three weeks ago turned in one of the stronger performances of her career.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

On paper, there’s enough speed in the Red Camelia to assure a truly run race, though the Fair Grounds grass course much of this meet has boosted the chances of pace players. Tenpins Tempo, who has speed and is drawn inside, could take this group a long way at odds approaching 20-1.

Another thing to note: The mare with the best form among the entrants, Mariah’s Galaxy, looks very much like she does her best work on dirt. Hyper Piper hasn’t been as sharp as Mariah’s Galaxy, but she, too, would rather race on dirt,

The pick here – and a worthy play at anything like her 6-1 morning-line odds – is Eskenformore, who finished third in the Ladies Turf, her lone Fair Grounds start this season. Eskenformore made a powerful move to go from 11 lengths behind the pacesetter at the half-mile pole to lead at the stretch call but made that run prematurely over a 1 1/16-mile distance slightly farther than her best. She’s since been kept fresh by trainer James Hodges and has shown in several instances her peak performances come after a short or mid-term layoff.