Pan Zareta encore spot for Good Deed

With an assist from the fastest-playing turf at Fair Grounds in many years, Good Deed ran 5 1/2 furlongs Dec. 14 in 1:02.31, a course record.

Bad news for her five rivals Saturday in the $60,000 Pan Zareta Stakes: Trainer Steve Margolis said Good Deed wasn’t fully fit for that allowance race, her first start in nine months.

“To be honest, we didn’t even have her 100 percent cranked up,” Margolis said. “She’s a turf sprinter, and obviously you don’t have to have them as fit as a route horse, but she’d only had one five-eighths [workout].”

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Good Deed was already going to be a handful in the Pan Zareta, another 5 1/2-furlong grass race, and if she moves forward from that last-race 5 1/4-length blowout, look out.

Good Deed’s December dominance probably contributed to the short Pan Zareta field, which from the rail out consists of Starship Duchess, Stoupinator, Seeking Ms Shelley (who won the 2014 Pan Zareta), Good Deed, One Time Only, and Angie’s Prim Lady.

Good Deed is favored on the morning line at odds of 4-5. The feature is race 4, with post time scheduled for 2:55 Central. Mainly clear conditions are forecast, and the Pan Zareta should stay on turf.

KEY CONTENDERS

Good Deed (Last 3 Beyers: 97-82-90)

◗ The fast last race was no outlier for Good Deed, who has a 3-1-0 record in her four grass sprints. In June, 2013, she just missed the Churchill Downs five-furlong turf-course record while earning a 110 Beyer Speed Figure in an open allowance race.

◗ Margolis said he’s not concerned about regression following a huge comeback performance. Good Deed just turned 6 but has made only 15 starts.

“Knock wood, she’s had her little gaps in her races, and right now, she’s doing very well,” Margolis said.

◗ Good Deed and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. are drawn inside the horse who beat her to the early lead last month, Angie’s Prim Lady, but Margolis said he doesn’t mind the draw.

Seeking Ms Shelley (Last 3 Beyers: 80-76-79)

◗ Since she upset the Pan Zareta last season at odds of 10-1, Seeking Ms Shelley has lost five in a row while failing to approach her best form. There is reason to wonder if she’ll ever get back to her peak, and that reason is age: Seeking Ms Shelley is 9.

◗ Seeking Ms Shelley runs as well as her troublesome feet allow, and if she is in good shape Saturday, she can improve enough to get into the exacta.

Starship Duchess (Last 3 Beyers: 87-65-64)

◗ There is something to be said for perfection, and Starship Duchess has won both her starts on the Fair Grounds grass course.

◗ Her lone Fair Grounds grass-sprint try produced an easy allowance win.

Stoupinator (Last 3 Beyers: 80-84-74)

◗ One-run closer found stretch trouble when third behind Good Deed last out.

◗ Trainer Hugh Robertson has sent out 11 horses at the meet, and nine have finished third or better.