It’s Louisiana Derby Day on Saturday at the Fair Grounds. In addition to the beignets, 1/ST BET and Xpressbet are adding more desserts with a $25,000 Exacta-Thon on the card from New Orleans. The 12-race program will provide horseplayers a chance for an extra boost to their balance.

As you play Saturday’s Fair Grounds races, give extra consideration to exacta bets. That’s because players at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet who cash any exacta combination in at least 6 of the 12 local races on Saturday will share in an additional $20,000 in free cash. The player(s) who hit the most exactas on the day will be rewarded with their share of an additional $5,000. Exacta-Thon contest wagers are at $2 minimum increments ($1 exactas do not apply).

Last week’s Exacta-Thon bonuses paid to Oaklawn players were $238.10 to all players with six or more exacta-winning races and $357.14 to those tied for the most exacta-winning races.

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Fair Grounds // Race 1

Notable: Four of these come out of the same Feb. 17 race, and I’ll lean on #7 Saint Gabriel being able to improve a length off his finish in that one. He’s had a smile start since then, so goes sprint-route-sprint and now adds blinkers.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Part-Wheel 7 with 5,6,15 ($6)

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Fair Grounds // Race 2 // Costa Rising Stakes

Notable: Similar to the opener, multiple runners re-match here from a Feb. 24 race that I trust. #7 My Pal Mattie was best in that turf sprint and has the speed as a pure grass dasher to do it again. Other spots on the card look more creative.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Part-Wheel 7 with 9,2 ($4)

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Fair Grounds // Race 3 // Crescent City Oaks

Notable: #1 Accommodate Eva has won her last two state-bred stakes races and #4 Lightofmaine has won 2 of her last 4 races with both losses coming to her aforementioned rival. Inside draws for a couple of stretch-out sprinters also bring appeal to the exactas.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Part-Wheel 1 with 4,2,3 ($6)

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Fair Grounds // Race 4

Notable: A square price should be had on #3 Ragtime Lady as she finally draws a favorable spot in the starting gate. She’s been victimized by slow paces while showing mid- and late-race interest. The cut-back to a mile should quicken the tempo and give her a great chance to make one, consistent run. First-timer #11 War Siren will have to overcome a tough draw, but will take money for Brad Cox and Flavien Prat.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Part-Wheel 3 with 1,10,11,12 ($8)

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Fair Grounds // Race 5

Notable: The Brad Cox-Flavien Prat teams wheels right back with another first-time starter of repute on this card, notably #6 Corporal. The $1.1 million purchase by Gun Runner out of the excellent racemare Kathballu has trained up a storm and is the kind of undercard star we often see on a big race day like this. Look for #7 Mister Lincoln, half-brother to Pauline’s Pearl, to improve in his second start after doing the dirty work in chasing the lightning-fast Drip here February 17.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Part-Wheel 6 with 7,2,9 ($6)

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Fair Grounds // Race 6
Notable: Strong inside pace projection from #2 Athens Moon and #3 Devil’s Harvest, which should allow mid-packer #5 Moment of Stardom every chance to save ground and pounce. He loves this course and comes in hot against state-breds, while rising into this open-company allowance.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Key-Box 5 with 8,2,10 ($12)

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Fair Grounds // Race 7 // Crescent City Derby

Notable: The surface may be in question, but the class certainly is not for #3 Blue Eyed George. Trainer Michael McCarthy ships this one from Kentucky after strong showings in open-company stakes on synthetic and open allowances on turf. The move to state-breds is a major positive. He’s got just enough tactical speed to be effective on dirt and shouldn’t be buried amongst the discouraging kickback.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Part-Wheel 3 with 2,7 ($4)

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Fair Grounds // Race 8 // Tom Benson Memorial
Notable: The move from post 11 last time to an inner draw for #3 Join the Dance should be a big boost to her win chances. Look for her to be forwardly placed and the change to jockey John Velazquez suits her better than finishing rider Joel Rosario. #7 Flatter Me Silly impressed in winning an allowance last time with absolutely no pace help. She’ll be motoring late at a fair price. We’ve got 2 nice prices here on top, so we’ll try to catch a juicy one with spreads underneath.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Part-Wheel 3,7 with 3,7,9,10,12 ($16)

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Fair Grounds // Race 9 // New Orleans Classic

Notable: Rockstar Louisiana-bred #3 Touchuponastar and likely co-favorite #9 Best Actor have similar, front-running styles. Rarely do we see both horses in this kind of set-up run the table for the exacta. One gets softened up, and the benefactor could be #1 Red Route One, whose best trip has been 1-1/8 miles like he’ll get Saturday.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Key-Box 1 with 3,9 ($8)

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Fair Grounds // Race 10 // Mervin Muniz Memorial

Notable: #13 I’m Very Busy was an exceptional second to the star international mare Warm Heart in the Pegasus World Cup Turf and will be flying late as the one to beat despite starting from the far outside. #2 Strong Quality has all the inside speed you could ask for and avoids any of the decisions or dilemmas. #4 Beatbox has been right in the mix in all 4 starts at the meet and you know what you’re going to get. Boxing the 3 doesn’t make economic sense based on projected payouts, so I’ll lean on the easiest trip of #2 Strong Quality to hold one of the slots. For contest purposes, boxing the trio makes some sense vs. the parimutuel aspect.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Key-Box 2 with 13,4 ($8)

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Fair Grounds // Race 11 // Fair Grounds Oaks

Notable: Rematch between #5 Tarifa and #6 Intricate doesn’t appear to have a partycrasher. #7 Our Pretty Woman has done it stylishly in both starts, but they were on wet tracks and we’ll see how she adapts if things are dry as forecasted. As for preference among the top pair, #6 Intricate will offer the value this time around and I like how she got back on the workout tab 3 days quicker after the Rachel Alexandra than Tarifa. She might have come out of the race best and would be the win bet and single for me in multi-race bets trying to separate from the public some. But in terms of the Exacta-Thon, the prudent play is the chalky box.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Box 6-5 ($4)

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Fair Grounds // Race 12 // Louisiana Derby

Notable: Strong support here for #11 Tuscan Gold as a rapidly developing member of this 3-year-old crop and legitimate Louisiana Derby win threat. Trip should be slightly tougher this time for #12 Track Phantom, but there’s a lot of consistency and quality to respect. #5 Catching Freedom has never run a bad one and will be factoring late off an improved series of workouts.

Exacta-Thon Plays:
Key-Box 11 with 12,5 ($8)
Part-Wheel 11 with 2,4 ($4)