Another turf-sprint party starring Elle Z, Change of Control

It’s unclear why Fair Grounds even hosts a special Tuesday card each Mardi Gras Day. People in New Orleans on Mardi Gras are, you know, doing Mardi Gras things, not going racing.

Which is not to say that this year’s renewal of the Mardi Gras on Tuesday is not a good race. In fact, it is, and primarily because of the rematch between Elle Z and Change of Control.

The two mares met Jan. 29 in the Fred Aime Memorial, Change of Control pressing Elle Z’s pace and taking the lead in mid-stretch before Elle Z surged again and won by a nose. The third-place horse finished nearly four lengths behind the top two, each of whom got a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure.

If these two hold their form one will win, but the $75,000 Mardi Grass, female-restricted and carded for 5 1/2 furlongs on grass, drew other talented entrants.

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Goin’ Good, from the powerhouse Brad Cox barn, makes her 4-year-old debut here while racing for the first time since August. The filly, a Klein Racing homebred, won a first-level turf-sprint allowance race during December 2020 in her lone local grass start and went on to finish second to the very good Toby’s Heart in a Keeneland turf-sprint stakes last April. Goin’ Good, who tailed off in her final pre-layoff start, needs to run faster than she has before to keep up with the two favorites but could have room to improve.

More Than Unusual has quality to her but never has started in a race this short and almost certainly needs more distance for her best. Formerly trained by Cox, she races for the first time since being purchased for $220,000 at a January auction and now resides in Eddie Kenneally’s barn.

Chris Hartman trains Elle Z and his remarkable Fair Grounds roll has finally subsided. From Jan. 21 through Feb. 17, Hartman won with 12 of 18 starters in New Orleans; he since has won just one of his last nine. Elle Z, a 5-year-old by City Zip, is very fast and very good. She’s 5-3-2-0 over the Fair Grounds grass course and after winning the Nelson Menard Memorial on Jan. 1 by five lengths, hitting a peak 97 Beyer, she came back with an even stronger performance nipping Change of Control.

This time, the advantage should swing to Change of Control. Change of Control had a better 2021 than Elle Z, winning the Intercontinental and Autumn Days stakes in New York, and trainer Michelle Lovell brought the mare into the Aime on a light work pattern.

“She should be ready for this one,” said Lovell, who won two races Thursday at Fair Grounds. “Shoot, I thought we might get it last time. It looks like there’s going to be more speed in there, too.”

Elle Z led on a slow pace in the Aime. Lovell also entered Sail On Ellen, who has early speed, in the Mardi Gras. Which means Change of Control should reign on this Mardi Gras.