Silverbulletday tops Risen Star undercard

Just Jenda has lost only once so far (Lou Hodges Jr. Photo) Saturday's marquee event at Fair Grounds, the Risen Star S. (G3), will be supported by five intriguing stakes on the undercard. Chief among them is the Risen Star's companion race for three-year-old fillies, the $150,000 Silverbulletday S. (G3), where JUST JENDA (Menifee) will try to duplicate her convincing victory in the Tiffany Lass S. last time out. Just Jenda could be part of a big day for trainer Larry Jones, who will send out Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy) and It Happened Again (Proud Citizen) one race later in the Risen Star. Owned by the trainer's wife and assistant, Cindy Jones, Just Jenda boasts a three-for-four career mark. The chestnut won her first two outings by a combined 15 3/4 lengths, including a romp in the Brandywine S. at Philadelphia Park, before throwing in a subpar fifth-place performance behind FOUR GIFTS (Even the Score) in the Delta Princess S. (G3) at Delta Downs. Just Jenda's connections believed that she just didn't care for the track surface that night, and their faith was vindicated when she handily captured the Tiffany Lass at Fair Grounds, leaving Four Gifts 4 1/2 lengths adrift in third. Regular rider Terry Thompson will guide Just Jenda from post 7 as she stretches out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time. The Steve Asmussen-trained Four Gifts will break from the rail with new pilot Robby Albarado. Shaun Bridgmohan, who had ridden Four Gifts in her past four starts, switches to Asmussen's other entrant, WAR ECHO (Tapit). A three-quarter sister to Pyro (Pulpit), the smashing winner of the 2008 Risen Star and Louisiana Derby (G2), War Echo was last seen finishing a distant third to Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) and Sara Louise (Malibu Moon) in the Golden Rod S. (G2) at Churchill Downs. Two back, she checked in fourth to Sky Diva (Sky Mesa) in the Frizette S. (G1).

Other notables in the eight-filly field include WAR TIGRESS (War Chant), the

winner of the grassy Caressing H. at Churchill who will make her dirt debut in

this spot, and recent maiden scorer FLYING SPUR (Giant's Causeway), a daughter

of multiple Grade 1 queen Lakeway (Seattle Slew) from the Bill Mott barn.

Just as the Silverbulletday serves as a prep for the March 14 Fair Grounds

Oaks (G2), so does the $125,000

Mineshaft H. (G3) serve as a stepping stone to the New Orleans H. (G2) for

older horses on the same date. Multiple Grade 1-placed GRASSHOPPER (Dixie Union)

returns from a five-month layoff to defend his title from seven challengers in

the Mineshaft. The Neil Howard charge, who just missed after a titanic struggle

in last year's New Orleans H., has not raced since his runner-up effort to

HONEST MAN (Unbridled's Song) in the Philip H. Iselin S. (G3) at Monmouth last

August.

Also returning from a holiday is Super Derby (G2) hero MY PAL CHARLIE (Indian

Charlie). In his latest venture, the Al Stall Jr. pupil was a creditable fourth

in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile to Albertus Maximus (Albert the Great), who came

back to land Saturday's Donn H. (G1).

The Mineshaft has lured the top three finishers from the Louisiana H.,

contested at this same track and 1 1/16-mile trip -- GOOD AND LUCKY (Wild Rush),

SECRET GETAWAY (Skip Away) and Honest Man, respectively. Honest Man figures to

move forward off that effort, his first outing in more than three months, for

the ubiquitous Jones.

Eight turf horses, plus one main-track-only hopeful, are set for the $125,000

Fair

Grounds H. (G3), a tune-up for the March 14 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial H.

(G2). The Mark Frostad entry of FRENCH BERET (Broad Brush) and WINDWARD ISLANDS

(Cozzene) looms large in the about 1 1/8-mile affair. French Beret comes off a

repeat victory in the Col. E.R. Bradley H. (G3) over the course. Windward

Islands, a strongly closing fifth in the about 1 1/16-mile Bradley, is eligible

to show more with the added ground here.

Among those looking to upend the Sam-Son Farm pair are DEMARCATION (Gulch), a

dead-heat winner of the River City H. (G3) at Churchill last time out;

Asmussen's JIMMY SIMMS (Lost Soldier), exiting a 3 1/4-length score in the

Woodchopper S. at Fair Grounds; the Howard-trained CORRUPT (Belong to Me), who

will be making his first start since July; and the razor-sharp DIAMOND TYCOON

(Johannesburg), who enters off a pair of good-looking wins at this venue.

STORM TREASURE (Storm Boot) is the headliner in the $75,000

Colonel

Power S. at about 5 1/2 grassy furlongs. A strong third in the Breeders' Cup

Turf Sprint last fall, the Asmussen trainee was an impressive winner of the

Bonapaw S. at this course and distance most recently. Other top threats include

Bonapaw runner-up CHAMBERLAIN BRIDGE (War Chant) and Nearctic S. (Can-G2) near-misser

ROUSE THE CAT (Sir Cat). Should the variable New Orleans weather force the

Colonel Power off the turf, the main-track-only entrant SOK SOK (Trippi)

warrants considerable respect.

Distaff sprinters will dash six furlongs in the $75,000

Pan

Zareta S. SECRET GYPSY (Sea of Secrets), who rolled to a four-length score

in the Esplanade S. last time out, will be tough to beat if she runs back to

that level. The Ronny Werner filly will face only five rivals, led by the

uncoupled Asmussen duo of P. S. U. GRAD (Harlan's Holiday), a dynamic

allowance/optional claiming scorer in her first outing for the barn, and

CLASSIFY (Unbridled's Song), who reverts to dirt after a visually impressive

tally in the Dr. A.B. Leggio Memorial S. on the grass. Grade 3 veteran CONTROL

SYSTEM (Lion Hearted), a disappointing eighth in the Esplanade, would be a major

contender if she returns to her old form.