I Dazzle targets repeat in Red Camelia

On the one hand, the Red Camelia is a $60,000 stakes for Louisiana-bred filly-and-mare grass horses, but on the other, it could be seen as the potential highlight of I Dazzle’s winter.

The 7-year-old mare has not quite been up to competing with open-company stakes horses on grass, and she does not run quite as well on dirt as on turf. The Red Camelia is the only race all winter in Louisiana that truly suits her, and I Dazzle already showed that she fits the spot when she won the 2014 Red Camelia by 1 1/4 lengths.

She’s one of eight entrants in this year’s edition, carded as race 8 of 11 Saturday at Fair Grounds and scheduled to be contested at about one mile on grass.

The Red Camelia is the card’s nominal feature, but the program also includes an open second-level allowance (race 6) and a 3-year-old maiden race that immediately follows the stakes. That six-furlong dash includes Harvey, a Stonestreet Farms-owned Curlin colt who finished third behind the impressive Yockey’s Warrior when making his career debut Feb. 21.

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Key contenders

I Dazzle (Last 3 Beyers: 75-85-83)

* Got back on turf for the first time since June when she raced Feb. 28 in the $50,000 Jersey Lily at Sam Houston, but I Dazzle’s chances took a hit even before her first stride.

“She jumped up in the gate right when they let her go, got all rattled, and didn’t run her race,” said trainer Mike Stidham.

* Things didn’t get much better. The leader walked the opening quarter-mile in 25 seconds, and I Dazzle, a closer, never could make up ground.

* But that was open competition, and the Red Camelia is restricted to Louisiana-breds, against whom I Dazzle is 2 for 2 on turf, both races at Fair Grounds.

“These are her friends she’s with again,” Stidham said.

Tensas Harbor (Last 3 Beyers: 87-80-70)

* She may be superior to I Dazzle on dirt, but to date, I Dazzle has been the better horse on turf. And while I Dazzle comes from off the pace, Tensas Harbor has even less positional speed, and a furious early pace Feb. 8 at Delta Downs set up a last-to-first rally in the $150,000 Premier Distaff.

* The good news for the two favorites: There are at least two and possibly three horses in the Red Camelia who want to race on or near the lead, and as long as the early and middle tempos are at least moderate, the two best horses in the race should have a fair shot.