Gold Quarry stronger of Jones's pair

Trainer Larry Jones never seems short on good fillies. Think graded stakes winners Island Sand, Josh's Madelyn, and Ruby's Reception.

Thursday, two of Jones's latest crop of fillies will be in action at the Fair Grounds meet at Louisiana Downs, when Gold Quarry and recent maiden winner Hoochie Glide start as separate interests in the featured 10th.

The optional claiming race is for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles. There are seven in the field, and Gold Quarry, a daughter of Touch Gold, will be the shorter price of Jones's starters and could go favored.

"She has faced winners," said Jones. "She has already run second in the same race, and she's also getting in about five pounds lighter than Hoochie Glide."

last raced Dec. 16, when she finished second in an optional claiming race at Louisiana Downs. Earlier in the year, she won her maiden in a seven-furlong race at Keeneland. She will break from post 7 under John Jacinto.

"She will be able to sit right off of them there on the outside and just kind of see how the race sets up," said Jones.

won her maiden last out in her second career start and first start around two turns. After breaking from post 11, she rallied for a 1 1/2-length win in the maiden special weight race Dec. 23.

"This filly acts like she can run all day long," said Jones. "That's going to be her game. One reason we haven't tried to get her to the races a lot earlier is that we needed to start finding distances that would suit her."

Hoochie Glide is a daughter of High Yield and will break from post 4 under Terry Thompson.

Jones is not the only trainer with two promising fillies in the field. Steve Asmussen, who leads the meet standings, will start Devine Laughter, a maiden winner at Keeneland, and Cintarosa. The fillies race for different interests, and both figure in the race.

was third at this level in her last start. She is one of the best-bred fillies in the field as a daughter of Saint Ballado. In addition, she is the first foal from her dam, French Ballerina, who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Chilukki.

won her maiden over seven furlongs in her last start Dec. 3. She will be making the move to two turns and gets pedigree support for the added distance as a daughter of Grand Slam.