Janeian wants firm course

Janeian is a mare who likes to hear her feet rattle. So when the turf came up yielding for the Grade 3, $200,000 WinStar Distaff at Lone Star Park on Monday, her plans changed. She was scratched from the race and entered instead in the $50,000 Old South Handicap at Louisiana Downs on Saturday.

is the 119-pound highweight in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares, and trainer Bret Calhoun has given the mount to leading rider John Jacinto. Others in the seven-horse field include Due to Win Again, the runner-up to Mexican Moonlight last year in the Old South; Pad the Wallet, winner of her last two starts; and Gold Vault, who invades from Churchill Downs.

Janeian's three career stakes wins have come on firm turf, and with little precipitation in the forecast over the next few days, she should get firm ground for the Old South. She set a course record at the race's 1 1/16-mile distance at Hawthorne Race Course in October 2003, when she won the $120,000 Indian Maiden Breeders' Cup Handicap in a blazing 1:39.80.

Just two starts later, Janeian almost set another course record, when she won the $75,000 Irving Distaff at Lone Star, covering 7 1/2-furlongs in 1:28.20. And following the Irving, Janeian turned up at Hollywood Park and won the Grade 3 Royal Heroine in July 2004.

She is looking for her first win this year on Saturday after picking up checks in 3 of her 4 starts this year. In her last out, Janeian was fifth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths, in a prep for the WinStar, held over "good" turf at Lone Star on May 5.

She has good speed, and on Saturday could get a nice stalking trip behind Due to Win Again, who breaks from the rail, and Gold Vault, who in her last start set the pace in an optional claiming allowance and finished fourth. Janeian races for Greg England.

Trainer Paul Murphy, who won last year's Old South, will send out Pad the Wallet, who has won allowance races in her last two outs, both coming at Lone Star. Pad the Wallet has a strong closing kick and likely will be coming for Janeian late under jockey E.J. Perrodin.

Chitchat Chitchat could also be making her bid late. In her last start, she closed for third in the $50,000 Honeymoon. Don Simington has the mount for trainer Pat Mouton.