Divine Beauty cuts back in Sunday optional claimer

NEW ORLEANS – Stakes winner Divine Beauty, who appeared headed to the Fair Grounds Oaks early this year before she was sidelined, will make her second start off a layoff when she runs in optional-claiming company Sunday.

The six-furlong race for older fillies and mares is the sixth race on a nine-race card. Divine Beauty, trained by Larry Jones for owner-breeder Brereton Jones, will face five rivals.

Key contenders

Divine Beauty (Last 3 Beyers: 84-90-92)

* She’s coming off a third-place finish in a seven-furlong optional-claiming sprint Oct. 11 at Keeneland in her first start since she finished second to the talented Unbridled Forever in the Silverbulletday Stakes on Jan. 18.

* “Seven furlongs is such a hard race for a horse coming off a layoff,” Larry Jones said. “She made the lead, just got a little tired.”

* Divine Beauty’s layoff was due to bone bruising, which healed with rest, Jones said.

* Her stakes victory came in the six-furlong Letellier Memorial at Fair Grounds in her second start. Her maiden victory in her debut at Churchill Downs also came at six furlongs.

* Unbridled Forever, who surged past Divine Beauty in the Silverbulletday at a mile and 70 yards, went on to finish in the money in five graded stakes, including three Grade 1 races – the Kentucky Oaks, the Acorn Stakes, and the Coaching Club American Oaks.

* Concerning Divine Beauty’s distance capabilities, Jones said: “I think sprinting is probably better. But can she do two turns? I think she probably can.”

* She’s the only 3-year-old in the field.

Scammony (Last 3 Beyers: 87-73-76)

* She was laid off for almost two years after running second in the Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies in 2012.

* She has crossed the finish line first twice in three starts since her return, but she was disqualified from one of those wins.

* Trainer Tom Amoss gave her a steady string of workouts at Churchill Downs.

* She routed non-winners-of-three allowance rivals Aug. 21 at Indiana Grand.