i really want fairgrounds to be winning here, but I just don't think so. it's possible but very difficult to get it up to 8 points (you need a madman and embargo that you can never play, and a curse), but still 8 points for $6 might be ok. If you multiply embargo the colonies relatively early it may be possible. So yeah, embargo the crap out of colonies while making sure to hold on to at least one curse.
but with colonies and provinces available, the 9 curses you get probably won't be enough to stop the colony/province player, especially with the hermit and the jack to clean them up. That trashing really puts it over the edge.