La Cara, a two-time Grade 1 winner last year at 3 for Mark Casse, is nearing the first start of her 4-year-old campaign. She worked Sunday at Oaklawn, breezing five-eighths in 1:02.80. “I am excited to get her going,” Casse said. “She’ll either run in the Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston or the Bayakoa. I haven’t decided yet.” The Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles will be run Jan. 24. It is the richest race at Sam Houston. :: Live racing action at Oaklawn Park! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. The Grade 3, $250,000 Bayakoa at the same distance is Feb. 7 at Oaklawn. La Cara won last year’s Grade 1 Ashland and Grade 1 Acorn. She races for her breeder, Tracy Farmer. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.