Saints N Muskets carries love of track into Magnolia Stakes

Saints N Muskets will be looking for her second stakes win of the Delta Downs meet on Tuesday, when she starts as the probable favorite in the $75,000 Magnolia.

“She loves Delta,” trainer Allen Landry said.

The Magnolia is a mile race for fillies and mares bred in Louisiana. It will share a card with the $75,000 Louisiana Jewel, which drew promising debut winner Australasia. The Jewel will be run over 7 1/2 furlongs and is restricted to 3-year-old fillies bred in Louisiana. Both stakes figure to produce starters for Louisiana Premier Night on Feb. 10 at Delta.

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Saints N Muskets is part of a Magnolia field of six on Tuesday that includes Sebs Princess, the 2019 winner of the Jewel, and Steph’sfullasugar, winner of last year’s Premiere Night Starlet at Delta.

Saints N Muskets enters off a 3 3/4-length win in the $60,000 Lookout on Nov. 25 at Delta. It was a rare two-turn start for the daughter of Musket Man, who is a half-sister to top Louisiana-bred sprinter Laughingsaintssong. Saints N Muskets sat just off the pace in the seven-furlong race, took the lead through six furlongs, and increased her advantage to the wire.

“She really ran a big race last time,” Landry said. “It looked like she was still full of run.”

Saints N Muskets earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 75. It’s also the best last-race number in the Magnolia field. Joe Stokes, who was aboard Saints N Muskets for owner Rodney Verret last out, again has the mount from post 5.

Landry saddles another starter in the race in Sarah’s Passion, who comes off a wire-to-wire win in a six-furlong allowance Dec. 10 at Fair Grounds. She will be making her first start at a mile Tuesday.

“She’s doing really good,” Landry said. “She’s training good.

“She’s going to show a lot of speed in the race. She’s pretty quick. Hopefully, she can get the distance. It’s her first time going that far.”

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Joel Dominguez has the mount from post 4 for Perform Stables.

Steph’sfullasugar will be moving from six furlongs to a mile, distance of her local stakes win. Sebs Princess enters off a runner-up finish in a $20,000 claiming route against open foes last month at Fair Grounds.

The Jewel field drew a number of quality fillies, led by Australasia, an 8 1/4-length debut winner in a Nov. 25 maiden special weight at Fair Grounds. She stalked the pace and jetted home in the 5 1/2-furlong race, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 72. It’s the best career number in the Jewel. Diego Saenz has the mount from post 4 in the field of six Tuesday.

Taylor Avenue comes into Tuesday’s race off a third-place finish in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie on Dec. 12 at Fair Grounds. She will break from post 3 under Tim Thornton.