Four contenders from the Jan. 23 Tiffany Lass Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots—including winner Jody Slew—are set to meet again in the Silverbulletday Stakes (gr. III) at the New Orleans track Feb. 20.
The 1 1/16-mile Silverbulletday, which serves as the final local prep for the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) March 26, is the eighth race on the card, with an approximate post time of 3:43 p.m. EST.
Trained by Bret Calhoun for Martin Racing Stable and Dan Morgan, Jody Slew scored her first black-type victory in the Tiffany Lass. Bred in Kentucky by Brandywine Farm, she broke her maiden on her third try last year, after which she hit the board in two stakes. Overall, she boasts a record of 3-0-3 from eight starts and earnings of $95,179.
Jody Slew, by Slew City Slew, is slated to break from the outside post under jockey Miguel Mena.
Ironically, the horse expected to be one of Jody Slew’s biggest threats is a filly that failed to place in the Tiffany Lass: Mark Stanley’s Quiet Temper. Trained by Dale Romans, the daughter of Quiet American rolled to an impressive 7 3/4-length victory in the Boyd Gaming’s Delta Princess Stakes Powered by Youbet.com (gr. III) in her final start as a juvenile Dec. 4.
After launching her 2010 campaigned with an allowance\optional claiming win Jan. 3, however, Quiet Temper flattened out in the Tiffany Lass and wound up eight lengths back in fifth. A solid effort in the Silverbulletday could redeem that loss, however, as well as stamp Quiet Temper as one of the ones to watch along the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) trail.
“She was sick right after (the Tiffany Lass), and that might have affected her performance,” said Stanley, a resident of Lexington. "She had some mucus after the race and started coughing, and was off her feet for about a week after that. It might have just been coming enough to knock the edge off of her.”
"But it’s cleared up now…she’s been breezing nice and I think she’s coming into (the race) well. (Jockey) Robbie (Albarado) has ridden her a few times now, so he ought to feel comfortable with her."
Quiet Temper, who was bred in Kentucky by James Jones, has been assigned the inside post. Albarado, who has been aboard for her last three starts, has the return mount.
Another filly looking to make a major comeback is Glencrest Farm’s Devil May Care. The daughter of Malibu Moon scored a victory in last year’s Frizette Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park in October, but then faded to an unplaced finish the next month in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I). The Silverbulletday will serve as Devil May Care’s 3-year-old debut.
Rounding out the Silverbulletday field are Bella Medaglia (who shares top weight of 122 pounds with Quiet Temper), The Rumor’s True, and Elusive Jozi, who finished second, third, and fourth, respectively in the Tiffany Lass; and Age of Humor, a recent stakes winner at Aqueduct.
$150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes (gr. III, Race 8, 3:43 p.m.), 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 Miles
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Quiet Temper (KY), R Albarado, 122, K G McPeek
2. The Rumor's True (LA), R E Eramia, 120, B Abrams
3. Age of Humor (KY), K J Desormeaux, 120, M R Mitchell
4. Elusive Jozi (KY), J Graham, 116, W I Mott
5. Bella Medaglia (KY), S J Sellers, 122, J A Shirreffs
6. Devil May Care (KY), J Castellano, 120, B D Cecil
7. Jody Slew (KY), M Mena, 120, M Glatt