Check out my Tuesday (2-17-26) Fair Grounds Race 8 analysis below.
FG 8 (Mardi Gras, F&M, 5.5T) – Post Time 5:15 PM ET
Primary – #6 SHINING STAR, #7 Lotsandlotsofcandy
Secondary – #1 Big Trouble, #5 Civetta, #4 Serving Time
Horse Comments:
#6 Shining Star (5-2) is 6-for-8 overall. She won five races on dirt in Chile in 2024. She added blinkers, set the pace, and faded to last of 8 in her first start in this country for John Sadler at SA (May 2025). She moved to the Brad Cox barn and romped at 5T as the favorite at Horseshoe Indy (October 2025), and she cruised to an easy win in a local allowance affair at this course/distance as the strong favorite Jan. 9. Jose Ortiz got acquainted with her last time and she figures to track the pace.
#7 Lotsandlotsofcandy (2-1) was last of 12 in the slop in her 2024 bow and she has done little wrong since. She wired the field in her next two dirt sprints in 2024, and she returned from a layoff of 9+ months and settled for the place (May 2025). She disappeared for half a year and returned to the winner’s circle as the favorite (November 2025), and she easily captured the Nelson Menard Memorial at this distance on good ground Jan. 10 (off the turf). She drilled a 5f bullet for this Feb. 7 and this is her first turf attempt.
#1 Big Trouble (9-2) is a consistent mare. She ran well in all five local turf starts (5 2-2-1) and she is strong at this distance (7 2-2-2). She rallied to win the local Pan Zareta at this distance in November, and she landed the place from the inside post in a local stakes sprint on dirt Jan. 10 (off the turf).
#5 Civetta (6-1) was up the track in synthetic sprint stakes race at TP in December. She fired trifecta shots in seven of ten turf starts and ran well in back-to-back allowance races at this distance in Kentucky last fall. Brendan Walsh’s Into Mischief filly is in the mix for a minor placing on her best day.
#4 Serving Time (8-1) won back-to-back races at this course and distance under Jose Ortiz in 2024, and she returned from a layoff of 11+ lengths and rallied to finish 3rd of 12 after breaking last. Irad Ortiz, Jr. takes the call and Cherie DeVaux is a profitable 24% with her non-graded starters.
Wagers:
#6 to win
Exacta 6-7/1-6-7
Trifecta 4-6-7/1-4-5-6-7/1-5
Recent 2026 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Jan. 22 – Mish ($6.40), Exacta ($29.00)
Jan. 23 – Miss Donna ($4.60), Exacta ($13.60)
Jan. 27 – Little Trouble ($2.40)
Jan. 28 – Midnight Onyx ($5.20), Exacta ($14.80), Trifecta ($47.80)
Jan. 29 – Ashima ($2.80), Exacta ($9.40), Trifecta ($27.20)
Jan. 31 – Counterbalance ($6.40), Exacta ($50.40)
Feb. 2 – Shut Up Michael/Cane Creek Road Exacta ($21.80), Trifecta ($58.20)
Feb. 3 – Goodfella/Jimmy B Exacta ($5.60), Trifecta ($14.60)
Feb. 4 – Attending/Americandreammaker Exacta ($37.80)
Feb. 6 – Runamileinmyshoes/Our Moonlight Exacta ($9.20), Trifecta ($19.60)
Feb. 12 – Otherpeoplesmoney ($5.90), Exacta ($22.00)
Feb. 13 – Lovin’ On the Run/Artisma Exacta ($20.40)
Feb. 16 – Oscar’s Hope ($7.20), Trifecta ($142.00)
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