Pan Zareta Stakes: Odds, Analysis, Wiz Capper Picks

Pan Zareta Stakes Goes as Race 5 on the New Year’s Eve Card at Fair Grounds

The $50,000 Pan Zareta Stakes for fillies and mares is one of several stakes races on the New Year’s Eve card at Fair Grounds this Saturday.

A field of six will go 6 furlongs on the main track and will be lead by the 7-5 morning line favorite Kathballu trained by Kenny McPeek for Five D Thoroughbreds.

Kathballu is a 4 year-old filly who will be making her first start at Fair Grounds and comes in off an 8 length win in a $75,000 restricted stakes at Delta Downs a month ago. Before that she was 4th in the G2 Chilukki at Churchill and has yet to breakthrough in several graded stakes company tries in her career.

Florent Geroux, who has 13 wins from 50 mounts at the meet thus far, will be aboard Kathballu for the first time for trainer McPeek who is 0 for 6 here since opening day.

Note: There is plenty of rain in the New Orleans weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday.

Pan Zareta Stakes by Post Position

Power of Snunner – 5 to 1. Draws the rail and has shown early foot in longer races. Cuts back to 6F today and hasn’t been out since a second place finish at Monmouth more than a year ago. Trainer is 21% at the meet including three wins over the past two weeks when teaming with Hernandez.
Lifetime Record: 23 starts, 7 wins, 12 seconds, 2 thirds
D R C’s Pretty Sky – 9 to 2. Trainer is new to Fair Grounds and this looks to be his first runner to go post ward. 3 year-old Sky Mesa filly won her last two starts sprinting at Remington on the turf going 5/8’s and most recently was the winner of the Zia Distaff by a neck going 6. Two of three on an off-track and one of two on the turf.
Lifetime Record: 15 starts, 5 wins, 2 seconds, 6 thirds
Calypso Run – 5 to 1. 4 year-old is eligible for NW4 and hasn’t won since August ’15 in 1 mile ALWNW2x at Delaware on the turf. Another trained by Joe Sharp and has a race over the track when 3rd beaten 1 3/4 in the Battle of New Orleans earlier this month. Got blinkers for the first time that day when cutting back to 5 1/2 on the turf. Gets new rider in Albarado as Mena defects to ride the #5 Pleasant Tales.
Lifetime Record: 16 starts, 3 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds
Blip n’ Th Bye – 4 to 1. NW3 lifetime for this 3 year-old daughter of Tale of Ekati who will run for 29% trainer Stall. Makes Fair Grounds debut off a third place finish at Churchill in November as the favorite in an OC$62,500NW2X going 6 1/2. Before that was second in the G2 Eight Belles back in May. Broke maiden at Keeneland at first asking in October ’15 then took a 7 furlong stakes by 5 at Evangeline Downs in April with the same rider aboard.
Lifetime Record: 6 starts, 2 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds
Pleasant Tales – 8 to 1. Chart doesn’t show it but has a win and a second in three starts at Fair Grounds. Will go for top trainer Stewart who is 1 for 6 at the meet so far. Exits a hotly contested 6f OC$80K/NW3x at Churchill in November when she finished second by 5 to the winner Finley’sluckycharm who returned to win the Dream Supreme Stakes next time out and then was second to Constellation in the G1 La Brea on Monday. Watch the La Brea replay below.
Lifetime Record: 18 starts, 3 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third
Kathballu – 7 to 5. Okay, so this miss won her last start by 8. But that was a restricted stakes going 7/8’s at Delta. All of her wins have come at distances other than the 6F she’ll go today when her record is 0 for 3. Does get top jock in Geroux who is 26% but as previously mentioned, McPeek is 0’fer at the meet.
Lifetime Record: 21 starts, 5 wins, 3 seconds, 3 thirds