Ameerah B can win right back despite facing winners for the first time

Ameerah B will be taking on winners for the first time in Thursday night’s eighth race at Evangeline Downs, but she looks like a solid favorite in the turf sprint.

Ameerah B is part of a field of eight for the entry-level allowance at five furlongs. It’s for fillies and mares.

Ameerah B won a maiden special weight over the Evangeline turf by 2 3/4 lengths on July 15, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 75 she earned is the best career number in the field Thursday.

“She ran pretty big and she looks pretty good in this race also,” trainer Keith Bourgeois said.

As a rule, it’s tough for a horse coming off a maiden score to defeat winners in their first attempt.

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“I think a lot of it is the experience, but she has quite a bit of experience,” Bourgeois said. “She’s been to Santa Anita, Del Mar, Kentucky Downs, and Turfway. So, she’s been to the races. She’s not lacking any experience.”

Ameerah B will be making the ninth start of her career. She started out in Southern California, then made her way to the Midwest. The win came in her first over the local course, and she covered the “about” distance of five furlongs on firm turf in 56.75 seconds.

“She’s very speedy,” Bourgeois said. “I think she fits the turf course well. It’s pretty firm. It’s not speed favoring, closers win over it, but I like that she has a lot of speed.”

Tim Thornton was aboard Ameerah B last out and again has the mount for Al Rashid Stables.

“Timmy told me, ‘On the backside, I was just sitting there,’ ” Bourgeois said. “She really relaxed with him. At the top of the lane, he asked her to go and she took off.”

Bourgeois said he feels Ameerah B will handle dirt if weather moves the race to the main track. He noted she was a close third in an off-the-turf maiden race in January at Fair Grounds. There is a 40 percent chance of rain Thursday morning in Opelousas, La., according to The Weather Channel.

The chief threats appear to be Misty Day, who is cutting back to the distance of her maiden win June 20 at Evangeline, and The Aurelia Factor, who was third at this level July 31 at Evangeline.