Simple Surprise stands out in Sunday feature

It’s possible – not probable – that trainer Steve Asmussen will wake up Sunday morning having won the $10 million Dubai World Cup on Saturday night with Gun Runner. But win or lose, Asmussen’s operation marches on, and he has the most likely winner in the featured sixth race Sunday at Fair Grounds.

The feature is a third-level turf-sprint allowance for fillies and mares with an $80,000 claiming option, and Asmussen’s starter is Simple Surprise. By Cowboy Cal and out of Simplify, Simple Surprise was bred and is owned by Ron Winchell’s Winchell Thoroughbreds, a co-owner of Gun Runner. And while Simple Surprise is not a world-class horse, she has turned out to be a pretty decent turf sprinter.

Two summers ago as a 2-year-old at Saratoga, Simple Surprise won the Bolton’s Landing, a 5 1/2-furlong grass sprint, and she did not run in another short sprint until Dec. 30, when Simple Surprise returned from a long layoff and won a second-level allowance.

She was blocked in the stretch when beaten a half-length in the Big Easy Stakes two races ago, and last out, she moved into a fast part of the $74,000 Mardi Gras, which was won by the good turf sprinter Rapid Rhythm. Second in that race was Wheatfield, who might have won the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes last weekend at Gulfstream Park if not for a troubled trip.

Simple Surprise is definitely the one to beat in a field of just six, with Sunny Oak and Nobody’s Fault her main rivals. Sunny Oak’s only superior rival in the Louisiana-bred older-filly sprint division is Wheatfield, and she will become the Sunday feature’s most likely winner should the race be transferred to dirt.

Sunny Oak, a daughter of Giant Oak, has started only once on grass and ran decently in a two-turn race that was longer than her best distance. Nobody’s Fault was shortened up to a one-turn race for the first time Feb. 26, and she liked it, closing into a fast pace to win a first-level allowance.

Race 9, a first-level dirt allowance for 3-year-old fillies, also is noteworthy. Among the seven entrants is Stonetacular, who won her career debut last September at Churchill Downs in eye-catching fashion for trainer Neil Howard.

Sidelined for the rest of 2016, Stonetacular, for lack of a sprint race, was forced to make her 3-year-old debut going one mile, and she finished a good second behind the talented and unbeaten filly Jenda’s Agenda. Stonetacular turns back to a sprint but could get a favorable pace setup and is the race’s most likely winner.

But there are two other fillies who could turn out to be her equal. Karula’s lone start came last summer at Emerald Downs, where she debuted in a stakes race against 10 rivals and won by 11 lengths. Now trained by Mike Stidham, Karula has posted sharp works for her first start in nine months.

Texas Music was privately purchased and turned over to trainer Joe Sharp after she won an off-the-turf maiden race over five furlongs by more than 10 lengths Feb. 21 at Sam Houston.

Zipessa to wait

Trainer Mike Stidham said Friday that Zipessa won’t race at Fair Grounds after all.

Zipessa’s connections had hoped the filly could make her 5-year-old debut on closing weekend either in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes or, if everyone got ambitious, against males in the Grade 2 Mervin Muniz Memorial. But Zipessa, who has not raced since closing from far back to finish fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, has not come around quickly enough to make either spot, Stidham said in a text message.

Plans have not been set, but Stidham said Zipessa is possible for the Gallorette Stakes at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard.