Just a Touch Back at Fair Grounds for Louisiana Stakes

The talent has always been present in Just a Touch, but through his first two seasons on the track, a graded victory has eluded him. Trainer Brad Cox and owners Qatar Racing and Marc Detampel are hoping that will change Jan. 17 in the $175,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3). If there was a place for the dual grade 1-placed 5-year-old son of Justify to finally break through, it would make sense that it would be at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Both his career debut and 2025 season-starter came in New Orleans, La., to the tune of eye-catching victories. Further benefitting the colt Saturday is Cox's recent dominance in the race, winning five of the last seven editions. Just a Touch, breaking from the far outside in a field of eight, is tabbed to continue that trend as the 8-5 morning line favorite off a six-month layoff. Additionally, Irad Ortiz Jr. will be in town to ride the horse for the very first time. All of his seven competitors are also in search of their first graded glory. Several have proven themselves as quality stakes runners, like Town and Country Racing's Moonlight. The 5-year-old son of Audible exits a come-from-behind victory Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs in the Cherokee Mile Stakes over a one-turn mile. Stretching back out to 1 1/16 miles, a distance at which he's won, a strong pace challenging Just a Touch could help him pick up the pieces. Among those potentially vying with Just a Touch for that top spot in the opening stages could be stakes winner Willy D's and the promising Accelerize, who makes his stakes and two-turn debut off a 2-length triumph against allowance foes at Gulfstream Park. Trio of Grass Stakes Strengthen Saturday Card Saturday's card features three other stakes for older horses, including the $100,000 Colonel E. R. Bradley Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on turf one race before. Clark Brewster and L and N Racing's Gigante won the race a year ago when it was contested on the main track due to rain, and he enters this year as a 10-1 shot. His Hall of Fame trainer, Steve Asmussen, doubles up with the ultra consistent grade 3 winner Lagynos for HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud. Flying P Stables' Kupuna is favored at 3-1 from the rail off a three-quarter-length defeat in the local Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes Dec. 20. Winner Idratherbeblessed and third-place finisher Sand Pipes return at better values of 6-1 and 12-1, respectively. C R K Stable and trainer Peter Eurton's California shipper Medoro is the 2-1 favorite in the 1 1/16-mile $100,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial Stakes on turf over Cox-trained Sweet Treasure at 3-1, who was last seen finishing third in the Pebbles Stakes (G3T) at Aqueduct Racetrack for Full of Run Racing II and Frank Silva. The turf course also plays host to the $100,000 Duncan F. Kenner Stakes for older sprinters traveling 5 1/2 furlongs Saturday. Charles Marquis' grade 2 winner, Bear River, aims to rebound off a pair of lackluster runs that included an 11th in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T). However, BG Stables and Selman Shaby's Usually Wrong holds 3-1 favoritism on the morning line after crossing the wire first in seven of 10 lifetime starts.