Main track fast, temp turf rail down, meaning grass races run at the "0" position today, as they have been the last two day of Fair Grounds racing. More on that momentarily.

Good to see so few scratches on this 13-race, six-stakes card! You can see all the early changes here. Nitrous (#7) is out of the Richie Scherer Memorial, which was expected, since his connections were looking for a rain-off onto dirt. First-time starter Bold Confection (#7) is scratched from race 8. He had fast works and looked somewhat live to me. Captivating Moon was withdrawn from the Diliberto on turf to run in the Tenacious on dirt, again, as expected. Here's a key one: Beautiful Trauma (#12) is out of race 11, the Blushing K.D. Not surprised that she's scratched and her absence takes what would have been the main pace player out of this race. 

Maxfield (#6) makes his first start since May in race 13, the Tenacious, seeking to go four for four to begin his career and propel himself into important older-horse dirt-route races the first half of 2021. I'm talking races like the Pegasus World Cup, the Saudi Cup, the Dubai World Cup. Maxfield has to earn his way there, has to show he can stand up to regular racing and training after two injuries that cost him a lot of time, but I believe (and I am far from the only one) that he is that type of horse if things go his way.

As far as horses I might bet at a decent price: Wentru (#5) in race 3. Mariah's Princess (#1) in race 4. Silver N Lai (#3) in race 5. Aife (#9) in race 11.

Finally, about the turf course. When the temporary rail was taken down the week of multi-stakes days last January, February and March, it created a strong inside / speed bias on the grass. The rail came down for the first time this meet for racing this week, but after hints of favoring inside paths and speed on Thursday, there was no sign of a meaningful bias Friday. The rail-down / rail-golden effect could come into force again later this meet, but for today, I'm treating the turf as fair-playing.