James Miller's Daisy Devine, already twice an easy winner this winter in New Orleans, has been installed as the looming 2-5 morning line choice in the $75,000 Bayou Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 23, Louisiana Derby Preview Day Presented by Lamarque Ford.
With an approximate post time of 2:25 p.m. CST, the Bayou Handicap at about 1 1/16 miles over the Stall-Wilson turf course is one of six stakes—four of them graded—that will be contested at the Crescent City oval that day.
Daisy Devine, who won the 2011 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) on the main track before switching to turf running later in her 3-year-old season, comes off a solid 1 3/4-length victory in the Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap Jan. 26 after taking the Blushing K.D. Handicap Dec. 22.
The daughter of Kafwain won the Jenny Wiley (gr. IT) last spring at Keeneland and took the Cardinal Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs in the fall.
Trained by Andy McKeever, Daisy Devine will have regular rider James Graham in the irons once again in the Bayou Handicap as she breaks from the far outside in a field of nine.
Slated to oppose Daisy Devine are the second- through fifth-place finishers of the Marie G. Krantz: Shadwell Farm's Ausus, who closed determinedly to come closest to the winner; Barnett Stables' Anniversary Girl, who was third; Robert and Lawana Low's Zapper Belle, fourth; and Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Artemus Kitten, fifth.
Newcomers are Barrett Bernard's Snuggs and Kisses, Swettenham Stud's Francisca, Pearl Bloodstock's Submission, and Last Call Racing Partnership's Our Lady in Red.
$75,000 Bayou Handicap (Race 5, approximate post 2:25 p.m. CST), Fillies and mares 4YOs & Up, 1 1/16 miles (turf)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Snuggs and Kisses (KY), G. Melancon, 114, T M Amoss
2. Zapper Belle (KY), L.R. Goncalves, 113, D C Peitz
3. Our Lady in Red (IL), M. Mena, 112, R R Scherer
4. Artemus Kitten (KY), R. Napravnik, 114, M J Maker
5. Submission (GB), J. Jacinto, 112, C Murphy
6. Francisca (KY), M. Guidry, 113, A McKeever
7. Ausus (KY), S. Bridgmohan, 114, D C Peitz
8. Anniversary Girl (KY), J.M. Campbell, 114, W B Calhoun
9. Daisy Devine (KY), J. Graham, 126, A McKeever