Layoff no sweat for Skylist

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Friday's Louisiana Downs allowance feature is a little short on experience and a little long on ambition.

Most of the 13 fillies and mares who passed the entry box for the one-other-than mile turf race for Louisiana-breds have been dealing with their conditions for claiming prices, but the $31,500 purse proved ample inspiration to kick it up another level. The field will be limited to 10 starters, with the temporary rail out 20 feet.

, the only one in the 10-horse body of the race to exit an allowance race, should prove formidable if she is able to repeat a strong second-place finish in her final start at Fair Grounds during that meeting's final week in late March. Trained by Delmar Caldwell, Skylist is no stranger to performing well following some time away. Idle from May to December of last year, she promptly won her maiden race in her first start back. A 4-year-old Skywalker filly, she has not proven to be very consistent since then, but if she has her best stuff on Friday she appears to hold a slight advantage. Jose Riquelme, who has enjoyed a good amount of success over the local turf the first month and a half of the current stand, will handle the riding duties.

, claimed for $30,000 out of a race that was rained off the turf three weeks ago, returns to a surface where she has three in-the-money finishes from four starts. Her new trainer, Edward Johnston, is hoping for an effort similar to the one Scott's Doll produced two starts back, when she finished second in an optional claiming affair over this turf course.

* Leading rider John Jacinto is the proud father of a new baby girl. Casey Alexandra was born 9:05 a.m. Saturday, weighing in at five pounds, 13 ounces. Jacinto took off his mounts during the second half of Friday's program to fly home to San Antonio and was back in action here the next day, winning Saturday's opener.