Sombree switches to turf for Happy Ticket

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Sombree’s performance Saturday in the $75,000 Happy Ticket at Louisiana Downs will go a long way toward determining whether she advances to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 30.

“If we get lucky and run good here, then we’ll step her up one more time,” said trainer Eric Reed. “We’re kind of using this to gauge what to do with her.”

The Happy Ticket is one of four 2-year-old stakes on the undercard of the Grade 2, $400,000 Super Derby. It also is the opening leg of an all-stakes pick four that has a guaranteed pool of $100,000. The sequence runs on races 8-11.

Happy Ticket (race 8)

Key contenders

Sombree (Last 3 Beyers: 70-62-30)

* Sombree will be making both her two-turn and turf debuts in the Happy Ticket, a one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies. She has won her last two starts, a maiden special weight at Indiana Grand in June and the $100,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies in her most recent out Aug. 8.

“She was full of run at the end of the race at Mountaineer, a good indication that she’ll go long,” Reed said. “The turf is the wild card.”

* Sombree is by Wood Memorial winner Eskendereya, who is getting 10 percent debut turf winners and 15 percent winners overall on the grass, according to Daily Racing Form statistics. Sombree’s dam won 2 of 4 starts on grass.

* Sombree was a $6,500 yearling purchase and now races for Jerry S. Brumley and Kay Reed.

“She was very small when we bought her and fell through the cracks because of that,” Eric Reed said. “But she’s grown a bunch. She’s a really attractive filly now. Gets better every day.”

* Edgar Prado has the mount from post 2.

Jazz Song (Last 3 Beyers: 53-41-30)

* She also is seeking her third straight win but is proven at two turns on turf by virtue of a maiden special weight score at Evangeline. In her most recent start, she won a first-level allowance at Louisiana Downs.

“Her numbers haven’t been impressive, but she’s been very workmanlike in her races,” said trainer Bret Calhoun. “Seasoning-wise, she has a little advantage over this field.”

Saritta (Last Beyer: 58)

* She is moving to two turns and turf following a debut win July 12 at Lone Star Park. Saritta is by Indygo Shiner, the winner of the Grade 3 Jefferson Cup, and from the Dynaformer mare Hard Lesson.

“I think she’s pretty talented,” Calhoun said. “She’s bred to run two turns on the grass. You never know until you try, but the pedigree screams two turns on the grass. If she happens to run like her pedigree suggests, I would think she would be very competitive as well. She’s got to overcome the 12 hole.”

Sunday Silence (race 9)

Key contenders

Aztec Lion (Last 2 Beyers: 66-52)

* He is moving to two turns for the $75,000 Sunday Silence, a one-mile turf race for 2-year-olds. Aztec Lion enters off a maiden special weight sprint victory Aug. 15 at Remington in his second career start.

“He had a troubled trip first time out – in between horses, clipping heels – just a very good education for him,” Calhoun said. “He came back and ran a very professional race.”

Better Than Magic (Last 3 Beyers: 52-48-29)

* He was third in the $75,000 Prairie Juvenile Mile in his last start Aug. 7, and before that, he won his maiden at two turns on turf at Lone Star.

“I don’t think the surface matters,” Calhoun said. “He wants a route of ground for sure.”

* Calhoun said Better Than Magic lost a little position down the backstretch in the Prairie Juvenile Mile due to kickback in his face.

In other stakes

In the other 2-year-old races, the stakes winners Zackarooney and Icy Gentleman take on the capable Our Rapidash in the $100,000 colts-and-geldings division of the Louisiana Stallion Stakes at seven furlongs. In the companion race for fillies, all the entrants are maidens.