Cassatt using Tiffany Lass as a tune-up for richer Texas race

NEW ORLEANS – Two overnight $50,000 stakes at a mile and 70 yards for older horses, one with a small field of females and the other with a large field of males, highlight a nine-race card Sunday at Fair Grounds.

Graded stakes winner Cassatt, coming off a front-running 4 1/2-length romp against 3-year-olds in the Zia Park Oaks on Nov. 26 for trainer Larry Jones, is the only stakes winner among the five runners in the Tiffany Lass for older fillies and mares.

The Tenacious drew a competitive 10-horse field of older horses, including four stakes winners.

Tiffany Lass, race 6

KEY CONTENDERS

Cassatt (Last 3 Beyers: 88, 76, 83)

◗ Explaining her progression from a $309,000 race to a $50,000 race, Jones said: “We’re trying to get her ready for the Houston Ladies Classic next month. This in an in-between thing to do. It’s a lot better to race her than to work her two or three times.’’

◗ Her graded win came in the Monmouth Oaks.

◗ In her only start against older rivals, she won in first-level allowance company at Delaware Park.

◗ She might face pace pressure from Parc Monceau on the outside.

Distorted Music (Last 3 Beyers: 87, 79, 81)

◗ She will be making her stakes debut.

◗ She led all the way in a five-length romp against second-level optional $62,500 claiming rivals at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs in her last start, but trainer Neil Pessin isn’t expecting her to have the early lead in this race. “She got it last time because they went slow,’’ he said.

Tenacious, race 8

KEY CONTENDERS

Agent Di Nozzo (Last 3 Beyers: 89, 100, 95)

◗ With speed elements Rocket Time, Grand Contender, and Rise Up in the field, late-running Agent Di Nozzo, a multiple stakes winner, might get a favorable setup.

◗ Agent Di Nozzo ran creditably in a runner-up finish to Sunbean in the Delta Mile on Nov. 22. It was Agent Di Nozzo’s first start in 10 months. “I think he’s done really well since Delta,’’ trainer Steve Margolis said. “He’s really working well in the mornings.’’

Grand Contender (Last 3 Beyers: 86, 59, 96)

◗ Tom Amoss trainee was third in the Delta Mile in his first start since July. Grand Contender has worked two sharp half-miles since the race.

◗ This 6-year-old and his 3-year-old stablemate Rise Up are the only graded stakes winners in the field.

Rocket Time (Last 3 Beyers: 97, 87, 78)

◗ Al Stall Jr. trains Rocket Time, a 3-year-old who will be making his stakes debut in his sixth start. He routed allowance rivals at Keeneland and Churchill Downs in his last two races.

◗ He’s a possible pacesetter from the rail.

For Dubai (last 3 Beyers: 84, 89, 88)

◗ Greg Geier trainee showed little in the Hawthorne Gold Cup in his last start. He was outrun in the same race a year ago before bouncing back to win the Louisiana Handicap on this track.