James Miller's Daisy Devine will make her 2013 debut in the $75,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 26, one week after the 1 1/16-mile turf event was originally scheduled to be held.
The Marie Krantz, carded as race 3 with an approximate post time of 1:57 p.m. EST, was postponed in order to allow the grass course to dry out after heavy rains drenched the South Louisiana area mid-month.
"The postponement didn't set us back at all," trainer Andrew McKeever said of his 5-year-old daughter of Kafwain . "It was understandable that they did it and I'm sure it worked out better for everybody. It just meant we had a chance to get one more work into her."
Daisy Devine, the 125-pound highweight for her upcoming outing, breezed four furlongs Jan. 21 in :50 1/5. In her last start she won Fair Grounds' $75,000 Blushing K.D. Handicap Dec. 22 after taking the Nov. 10 running of the Cardinal Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs.
"She's been doing good," McKeever said of Daisy Devine's progress lately. "In fact, she's been perfect."
Daisy Devine won the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) on dirt in 2011 but transferred her talents to the turf in the fall of that year. She will leave post 1 under jockey James Graham and is projected as the odds-on choice over five others in the Marie G. Krantz.
McKeever will also send out Totheendoftheearth, whose last start was at Saratoga Race Course in an August optional claimer in which she finished last of seven. The 5-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Hurricane Run came to the U.S. from Europe and won first out for trainer Christophe Clement at Belmont Park in a July allowance going the Marie Krantz distance. She carries 113 pounds under Brian Hernandez Jr. from post 5.
Closest to Daisy Devine in the weights at 117 is Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Ellis Park Turf winner Artemus Kitten, who will be ridden by Joe Bravo for trainer Mike Maker. The 5-year-old Kitten's Joy mare ran second in a one-mile allowance event on the all-weather track at Turfway Park Nov. 30. Last March she won the $100,000 Bayou Handicap going 1 1/16 miles on the Fair Grounds lawn.
Robert and Lawana Low's homebred Zapper Belle is also a winner over turf at Fair Grounds, taking the one-mile $75,000 Pago Hop Stakes with a determined late run for a 3/4-length victory Nov. 24. The 4-year-old Ghostzapper filly finished third in the Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland one start prior for trainer Danny Peitz.
Shadwell Stable's Ausus and Barnett Stables' Anniversary Girl, both allowance winners, complete the field.
$75,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap (Race 3, approximate post 1:57 p.m. CST), fillies & mares 4YOs & Up, 1 1/16 miles (turf, rail at 25 feet)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Daisy Devine (KY), J. Graham, 125, A McKeever
2. Ausus (KY), S. Bridgmohan, 114, D C Peitz
3. Artemus Kitten (KY), J. Bravo, 117, M J Maker
4. Anniversary Girl (KY), J.M. Campbell, 113, W B Calhoun
5. Totheendoftheearth (IRE), B.J. Hernandez, Jr., 113, A McKeever
6. Zapper Belle (KY), L.R. Goncalves, 116, D C Peitz