NEW ORLEANS – Shining Star so impressively captured a second-level turf sprint allowance on Jan. 9 at Fair Grounds that one easily could have imagined her winning the Nelson Menard Memorial, another turf sprint, the next day. Tuesday, in the $100,000 Mardi Gras Stakes, Shining Star can show that actually would have been the case. Shining Star faces eight foes in the Mardi Gras, which is carded for 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, including the one-two finishers from the Menard, Lotsandlotsofcandy and Big Trouble. The Menard wound up being rained onto the main track, which delayed the grass debut of Lotsandlotsofcandy but also got the mare her first stakes win. The lightly raced 5-year-old dominated the Menard, winning by 4 1/2 lengths while approaching the course record for 5 1/2 furlongs. Draw a line through her career debut, from which she emerged a very sick horse, and Lotsandlotsofcandy’s record stands at a sparkling 5-4-1-0. Moreover, for the first time in a stop-and-start career, she has gotten onto a regular racing pattern, staying solid over the Fair Grounds winter. “This will be her first time ever racing third off a layoff,” said Paul McGee, who trains Lotsandlotsofcandy for the Jay Em Ess Stable of Samantha Siegel. “She’s by Twirling Candy, and we’re looking forward to trying her on turf. She’s had a good few months.” :: Big Action in the Big Easy at Fair Grounds! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Lotsandlotsofcandy and regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. break from post 7, a good spot for the jockey to patiently dole out his mount’s excellent speed. Whether she can kick home as required on turf, or whether she’ll even need to if opening a wide enough lead, is the question the Mardi Gras should answer. Lotsandlotsofcandy had better be finishing, because Shining Star will be coming. Shining Star won her first four starts in Chile. She then clunked when stretched out to her longest distance, 1 1/4 miles, in November 2024, and next showed up racing at Santa Anita the following May. She ran once there, losing by almost 20 lengths, before a barn change sent her to Brad Cox’s string at Horseshoe Indianapolis, headed by assistant trainer Rickey Giannini. “I loved her from the moment she came in,” Giannini said Friday morning at Shining Star’s Fair Grounds stall, the gray mare a picture of health and fitness. “Her works from the start were incredible.” Shining Star’s an easy horse to be around in the barn but somewhat tough to gallop, Giannini said, and she’s very, very impressive on turf. Making her grass debut on Oct. 25 at Horseshoe Indianapolis, she extricated herself from a tight spot on the inside and blew the doors off first-level allowance foes, winning by more than seven lengths. Second-level allowance rivals fell nearly as easily when Shining Star swung back into action last month. Jose Ortiz rides her back, and Shining Star might be favored over Lotsandlotsofcandy. Gavea won this race a year ago, beating Big Trouble by three-quarters of a length. They’re both capable turf sprinters, but this Mardi Gras came up tough. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.