Twas the Weekend Before Christmas and ...

Amidst all the holiday hullabaloo, and with just a few shopping days left til Christmas, horseplayers seeking to stuff stockings with extra cash are dealing with slim stakes pickings.

The only graded stakes in North America Dec. 22 is the $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream Park, and the richest event is the $125,000 Queens County at Aqueduct Racetrack, which was being inundated by heavy rain as this was penned.

In terms of sheer quantity, look no further than the Crescent City, as a 14-race card at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots includes six $75,000 stakes. Steve Asmussen, who is off to a strong start with a 6-6-5 record with his first 22 meet starters, has horses in 10 races, topped by Switzerland, a two-time graded stakes winner who switches back to turf in the Bonapaw; Gun It, a $2.6 million Tapit  colt making his second career start in a potentially loaded maiden route; and Adventurous Lady, a two-time stakes winner going in a strong renewal of the Letellier Memorial for juvenile fillies that contains five unbeaten runners. Brad Cox and Joe Sharp each entered in nine races, while Mike Stidham (7) and Mike Maker (6) also will make their presence felt throughout a solid program.

Mr. Prospector (GP, race 10, 4:36 ET): I'm somewhat leery of Uno Mas Modelo (8) and totally against Coal Front (11), which gives this demanding seven-furlong sprint some profit potential since they are the first two betting choices.

Uno Mas Modelo has won his past five sprints for Loooch Racing Stables and trainer Anthony Quartarolo, with his only defeat since early June a no-chance try in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at 10 furlongs. He was able to overcome a horrible start to get up in the Claiming Crown Rapid Transit opening day here, but the track strongly favored closers according to RacingFlow.com (which rated the surface a speed-killing 203), and the last eighth of a mile was run in a glacial 14.14 seconds, which basically gave Uno Mas Modelo all day to get up.

I'm somewhat interested in the other horse entered by these connections, Storm Advisory (3), who is 15-1 on the morning line and coming off a throw-out race in the Clark Handicap Presented By Norton Healthcare (G1). The 6-year-old gelding has been claimed four—4!—times this season, most recently for $80,000 in late September out of a sharp score at 6 1/2 furlongs. He has run several long sprints this year that stack up well, including a second to the multiple stakes winner American Anthem, who subsequently took the San Carlos Stakes (G2).

Coal Front came out of his win in the 2017 Gallant Bob (G3) with a condylar fracture that required surgery, and was sidelined for more than 13 months. His first stakes try against older horses was the Bold Ruler (G3) seven weeks ago, and it did not go well as he folded after setting the pace for a half-mile. He is drawn on the far outside and faces the prospect of a wide trip against several other speed merchants.

Heartwood (6) and Wild Shot (7) have some things to recommend them. Heartwood, the third choice on the line, comes out of a bang-up second in the Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) in which he won the pace battle but ultimately lost the war. Heartwood, who splashed home second in the slop behind Uno Mas Modelo two back, gets a switch to Irad Ortiz Jr., who is closing in on 340 wins this year and looks like the favorite to win the 2018 Eclipse Award as champion jockey.

Wild Shot recently returned from an extended absence of almost 15 months and ran second in a second-level allowance at Churchill Downs. That wouldn't be noteworthy, except for the fact that the winner, Copper Bullet, was making his first appearance since a four-length win in the 2017 Saratoga Special (G2). Wild Shot, who spent his entire sophomore season in graded stakes and won the Pat Day Mile (G3), picks up Brian Hernandez Jr., who has been riding extremely well.

At a price, I am also throwing in classy veteran Conquest Big E (9), who took the Gulfstream Park Hardacre Mile (G2) earlier in the year.

If Coal Front beats me, so be it.

A - 3, 6, 7

B - 8

C - 9

Queens County (Aqu, race 8, 3:47 ET): You can make cases for or against most of the 10 horses entered here. Name Changer (1) seems like a deserving favorite at a lukewarm 3-1, but he has raced just once since taking the Monmouth Cup (G3) in late July and not at all since running third on the Pennsylvania Derby undercard behind Aztec Sense, who is 8 for 8 this year.

Monongahela (9) has to rate a look, since he beat Name Changer for second by nearly three lengths in the Carl Hanford Memorial at Delaware Park back in July. Monongahela was given a freshening through late summer-early fall, and looks to be cycling back to a peak performance third time back, after running an improved second in the Swatara Stakes and following with a trio of workouts at his Fair Hill base capped by a bullet half-mile.

Small Bear (8) hasn't won since taking the Gio Ponti on turf 13 months ago, but he is consistent and versatile, and could benefit if the pace becomes hotly contested among Adulator (2), Bal Harbour (4) and Exulting (10). The latter adds blinkers after setting the pace in an off-the-turf edition of the Red Smith.

A - 1, 9

B - 8, 10

Best of luck Saturday and happy holidays to all!