Britt's Jules back in sprint

CARENCRO, La. - Most thoughts regarding 3-year-olds this time of year are of longer and longer distances at scale weights, so how about a sprint handicap for a little change of pace.

Saturday night's $50,000, six-furlong Inaugural Handicap at Evangeline Downs drew a field of nine 3-year-olds headed by 123-pound highweight Britt's Jules, a three-time stakes winner at the recently completed Delta Downs meeting.

Britt's Jules, a son of Jules trained by James Frierson, successfully stretched out to two turns in his latest race. Before that, he had easily captured the seven-furlong Sportsman's Paradise Stakes on March 13. Even though he won the Sportsman's Paradise by over four lengths, his real strength lies in his ability at shorter distances.

He won the Triple Sec Stakes in January and the Delta Beau last November, both at five furlongs. Sandwiched between those two efforts was a solid third-place finish to the very fast Wildcat Shoes at Fair Grounds in the six-furlong Sugar Bowl Stakes.

Brandon's Marfa, unbeaten in two previous sprint tries, shortens back up on Saturday as well. He has been assigned 119 pounds. Trained by William Meaux, Brandon's Marfa just missed in the two-turn Louisiana Premier Prince Stakes at Delta Downs on Feb. 7 in his only try against stakes competition. He got a late start to his career, winning at first asking in December. He will race on Lasix for the first time.