Eden Grey's Kitten, Salengo in twin turf sprints Sunday

NEW ORLEANS – Two optional-claiming turf sprints at about 5 1/2 furlongs for 4-year-olds and up highlight a nine-race card Sunday at Fair Grounds.

In the third race, which has a second-level allowance condition, a fast, contested pace appears likely, and Eden Grey’s Kitten, a Steve Flint trainee capable of rallying from a few lengths back, might benefit. A Louisiana-bred with a Kentucky-like pedigree, Eden Grey’s Kitten is a son of Kitten’s Joy and the Salt Lake mare Steaming Home.

Racing at this level Feb. 13, Eden Grey’s Kitten pressed the pace and finished third, a half-length behind the winner, Whiskey Bravo. That start was the second for Eden Grey’s Kitten after a seven-week layoff, and further improvement appears possible. A solid turf record – five wins and nine in-the-money finishes in 10 starts – adds to his appeal.

Cha Mono, a Greg Foley trainee who lost by a nose in that Feb. 13 race in his second consecutive runner-up finish behind Whiskey Bravo, merits attention as a consistent earner on turf. But Cha Mono hasn’t won in seven tries on the surface.

Foley also will saddle the front-running threat Latent Revenge, coming off a decisive first-level allowance victory in a turf sprint Feb. 11.

The race drew eight runners plus Bourbon Cowboy, who is entered for the main track only. Partly Mocha, one of two entrants at the $40,000 claiming price, invades from Florida for trainer Mike Maker and fits nicely. A late runner, Partly Mocha finished a close second at this level last fall at Keeneland and won against similar horses in November at Churchill Downs.

Salengo, a 4-year-old coming off a rout of older maidens on dirt in his debut Feb. 15, is the most intriguing entrant in the seventh race, which has a first-level allowance condition. After breaking slowly, Salengo, trained by Jeff Engler, kicked into high gear, completing six furlongs in 1:10.05 to win by 5 3/4 lengths.

Bloodlines suggest that Salengo, a son of Unbridled’s Song and the Storm Cat mare Stormica, will handle turf. Stormica won on turf in France in 2003 and was stakes-placed on the surface at Golden Gate Fields in 2004.

“We wanted to give him one more race here before Keeneland,’’ Engler said. The target there, Engler said, is the Grade 3 Commonwealth, a seven-furlong dirt sprint April 9.

Another serious contender is Mish Mosh, an 8-year-old gelding with 14 wins and proven turf form. He’s running for the $17,500 claiming price, the price at which trainer Joe Sharp claimed him Dec. 13. Mish Mosh ran second that day to Whiskey Bravo, indicating that Mish Mosh fits well in this group.