New players add to rematch

NEW ORLEANS - It's tempting to see the Grade 3 Silverbulletday as a rematch between Just Jenda and Four Gifts, but the truth is they will both have to deal with two dangerous-looking new challengers.

Going as the eighth race on the Fair Grounds card, the Silverbulletday has drawn eight 3-year-old fillies, all of whom will be trying for their first win at the 1 1/16-mile distance.

Just Jenda and Four Gifts have met two times, and each has notched an impressive victory. On Saturday, they'll face impressive maiden winner Flying Spur and War Tigress, who is 3 for 4, including a win in the Caressing Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29.

Four Gifts beat Just Jenda in Round 1, the Grade 3, $500,000 Delta Princess at Delta Downs on Dec. 5. In that race, she sat just off the pace before taking over in the stretch to win the mile race by 2 1/4 lengths.

"Delta is funny because some horses really like it," said Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. "Shaun [Bridgmohan] got her a perfect trip at Delta, and everything went right for her."

Just Jenda finished fifth that day, never really getting a good grip on the track.

In the second round, Just Jenda was impressive winning the one-mile Tiffany Lass on Jan. 10 at Fair Grounds. Even though she was three wide on both turns, Just Jenda still won going away, taking her record to 3 wins from 4 starts and avenging her loss to Four Gifts.

Four Gifts had traffic trouble and never really got on track, finishing third, 4 1/2 lengths in back of Just Jenda.

As for the pending rematch against Four Gifts, Jones was even-keeled.

"Not to take anything away from Four Gifts, but I'm worried about every horse in the race," Jones said. "You have to beat them all to win."

War Tigress will be making her main-track debut, after racing exclusively on turf for trainer Jeff Thornbury. She enters off two wins at the Churchill Downs fall meet and has been working quickly over the Fair Grounds dirt.

Flying Spur failed in three New York maiden races for trainer Bill Mott as a 2-year-old, before winning an off-the-turf maiden race at a mile in her local debut, earning a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Further improvement by Flying Spur or War Tigress would turn the Silverbulletday into more than a match race.