‘Livia B’ finds spot at last

NEW ORLEANS Trainer Alice Cohn has been waiting to run Livia B Quick in a second-level turf allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs, and Mondays feature race at Fair Grounds fits the bill.

Its a tough spot, though, with the field including the Louisiana-bred stakes winner Equestrian Girls, who is eligible for the race because of a provision instituted here last month that doesnt count statebred victories against open-company conditions. Equestrian Girls just got up by a half-length two weeks ago in a first-level allowance.

Cohn began training Livia B Quick in June for Oratis Thoroughbreds, and the filly ran second in a turf sprint at Colonial Downs in her first start for Cohn.

I was going to Colonial and they wanted to try her on the turf, said Cohn.

They have such big fields there, she didnt see the horse that won. She was way outside and the horse that won snuck up the rail.

Livia B Quick came back in July at Colonial with a victory in a race washed off the turf, but Cohn couldnt find another spot for her until October.

Ive had the worst luck with this horse getting her in races, said Cohn. I had her in at Colonial in a two-other-than and it was the one day they had to cancel races. I tried to run her at Ellis and Kentucky Downs but we never got a race.

It wasnt until the first weekend at Fair Grounds that Cohn found a turf race for her again, but Livia B Quick made an uncharacteristic pace move and tired late to finish fourth.

Cohn then entered Livia B Quick in the Leggio here Jan. 13 but she was overmatched and finished sixth.

I was trying to hit the board in the Leggio, just to get black type because shes a broodmare prospect, Cohn said.

This time Cohn is looking for more than a share of the purse, but there are several good grass runners to contend with.

Grand Theft is 2-2-1 in 5 grass starts and has raced twice against Livia B Quick, losing by nine lengths last February then finishing ahead of her in October.

Tale of the Devil is 2-1-0 in 4 grass starts, but was defeated by Kindling (1-3-2 in 7 turf starts) last time out.