A mere head separated the Louisiana-bred 3-year-old fillies Secret Faith and Blue Fire when they traded decisions last season at Fair Grounds. But when the pair squared off again last month, in the Delmar Caldwell Memorial, Secret Faith, the winner, had more than 18 lengths on Blue Fire. Surely that gap narrows Saturday on Louisiana Champions Day in the $150,000 Ladies Sprint, where Blue Fire, who went off favored last out at even money, is the value this time after her dismal run. It’s essential to note that the Caldwell marked Blue Fire’s first start since she finished second in the Grade 2 Eight Belles on May 2. Combine that with the fact that Blue Fire, in her career debut, checked in a well-beaten sixth, earning a 24 Beyer Speed Figure, but in her second start two months later won a hot Louisiana-bred maiden with an 81 Beyer. Blue Fire broke from the rail and took pace pressure last month, but this time it’s Secret Faith who must cope with post 1. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. “Good horses can win from anywhere,” said Jayde Gelner, Secret Faith’s trainer. When Blue Fire nipped Secret Faith in the Champions Day Lassie a year ago, it marked one of only three defeats Secret Faith has taken in her 13 starts, and the other two came with excuses. Secret Faith is a sprinter, Gelner said, and she failed to stay two turns in the Fair Grounds Oaks in March. Sent to West Virginia in August for the Charles Town Oaks, Secret Faith displaced her soft palate. She since has bounced back with two more victories. “She does everything so easily – whatever you ask of her,” Gelner said. Sprint While the Ladies Sprint has the look of a two-horse race, the $100,000 Sprint, while it drew just six entrants, includes four plausible winners. Heading that group is Geaux Sugar, who turned in a career-best performance winning the Sprint by almost five lengths a year ago. Geaux Sugar eked out a win under starter-allowance conditions returning in October from a 3 1/2-month layoff, then finished second Nov. 22 in the Andrew Ney Memorial – building blocks toward another peak. A pure speed horse, Geaux Sugar will set the pace from the rail. Not On Herb beat Geaux Sugar in the Ney and in another Fair Grounds stakes last January, but Geaux Sugar at his best hits a level Not On Herb can’t reach. The same goes for El Dinero, third in the Ney, a comeback start upon which he should improve. El Dinero needs pace help, as does Hay Jude, who cuts back from a failed route experiment last month and, as the race’s only 3-year-old, has more upside than his main rivals. Lassie Little Miss Curlin’s pedigree – by Charlatan out of the Curlin mare Mylady Curlin – looks more Kentucky than Louisiana, and in her first two starts the filly has proved much too fast for Louisiana-bred rivals. A 4 1/2-length debut winner at Delta Downs, Little Miss Curlin came back to win the Donovan Ferguson Memorial last month at Fair Grounds by five lengths. The filly obviously has room to improve, and merely running back to her last start would suffice in the $100,000 Lassie. Little Miss Curlin led in both her races and drew a favorable outside post from which she can press Thrill Seeker, her rail-drawn pace rival. Thrill Seeker debuted Nov. 22, went straight to the lead, and walloped 11 Louisiana rivals in a maiden sprint, but Little Miss Curlin poses a sterner challenge. Joe Sharp trains Thrill Seeker and has another second-time starter, Creole Chrome, for the $100,000 Juvenile. Creole Chrome debuted Nov. 20 and won a Louisiana maiden sprint going away by 4 3/4 lengths, but unlike Thrill Seeker, Creole Chrome did more than simply dash to the front. Fourth of 11 in the early stages, Creole Chrome zipped between horses without hesitation and finished with a flourish. His primary competition, Mr Mo Money and Our Moneyman, ran one-two Nov. 20 in the Joseph Peluso Memorial, though neither has shown quite the spark of Creole Chrome. Ladies Turf While just five fillies and mares went into the $100,000 Ladies Turf, bettors might still extract value from the race in the form of Norah G. Norah G has made her last dozen starts on dirt and only twice has tried turf, but those two races showed a horse at least as good on grass as the main track. Moreover, Norah G, listed at 9-2 on the morning line, has the speed to control the pace in this short field, and likely favorite Highly Wicked could struggle to run her down. Highly Wicked won this race by a head a year ago, and while she’ll improve off a dirt comeback start Nov. 20, she’s far from invulnerable. ◗ The $100,000 Turf looks like a complete toss-up. The nod goes to Good and Stout, never worse than second in his four grass races and a troubled second in his lone try on the Fair Grounds course. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.