Expert Pick of the Week: Louisiana Champions Day Classic S.

Dec 10, 2021 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

A well-matched field of eight will travel nine furlongs on the Fair Grounds main strip in Saturday’s $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day S. The event for Louisiana-bred horses is one of a slew of stakes races on the card that features the top Cajuns in training.

Trainer Bret Calhoun has a pair of lively contenders in the field, including Highland Creek. By Broken Vow, the gelded sophomore came off a long absence to crush allowance foes at Delta Downs last time out, and I expect him to move forward in his second appearance off the shelf. He is the Expert Pick of the Week.

Highland Creek was winless in his first pair of outings last campaign before taking a big step forward with the stretch out in distance. The bay three-year-old graduated going one-mile on the turf here and elevated his game in his last two showings on the Fair Grounds dirt. He romped over allowance runners like a good thing in February, prior to finishing a fine second when just a neck back in the Crescent City Derby.

The top selection has tactical speed combined with a big turn of foot, and while he faces his elders for just the second time on Saturday, the youngster will prosper while tracking the pace from the start under the guidance of Adam Beschizza.

Pound for Pound has finished in the top three in seven of his last eight performances, led by a stout tally in the Star Guitar S. on the oval in March. The Andrea Ali trainee has compiled a solid 9-4-3-0 mark on this surface in his career, and the son of Redding Colliery has a lot of room for improvement while making just his second run since the spring.

The dark bay six-year-old, who won this race two years ago, is also equipped with early presence and a fine closing kick, and he figures to be forwardly placed while always in striking range with Aubrie Green in the stirrups.

An exacta with Highland Creek on top of Pound for Pound in the Louisiana Champions Day Classic Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.