NEW ORLEANS – An optional-claiming turf sprint Sunday for older fillies and mares attracted a solid field, including the 2-3 finishers in the Mardi Gras Stakes. Starship Duchess, trained by Louie Roussel III, was second, a neck behind Divine Beauty, in that six-furlong dirt sprint Feb. 17. Street Story, trained by Steve Flint, was impeded in tight traffic before rallying to finish third in the Mardi Gras, two lengths behind Starship Duchess. This race, if it stays on turf, will be run at about 5 1/2 furlongs. The field comprises seven runners in the main body of the race, plus main-track-only entrant Interest Free. Street Story, who won the Grade 3 Victory Ride last summer at Belmont for trainer Steve Asmussen, has never raced on turf. She’s a 4-year-old daughter of Street Cry out of the Tale of the Cat mare Perfect Story. :: DRF Live: Get real-time updates and insights from DRF reporters and handicappers on Sunday KEY CONTENDERS Street Story (Last 3 Beyers: 85-72-92) ◗ Street Story, who is based at the Evangeline Training Center, hasn’t worked on turf, Flint said. “She has the pedigree to run on the turf,” and her action indicates that she’ll be suited to that surface, he said. ◗ After the race, Street Story will go back to Asmussen and will be pointed for the six-furlong, $100,000 Carousel on April 8 at Oaklawn Park, Flint said. ◗ Street Story, who has won three stakes on dirt, looks especially tough if the race is taken off the grass. Starship Duchess (Last 3 Beyers: 90-88-65) ◗ Starship Duchess is 2 for 2 on this turf course. ◗ A bullet half-mile workout in 47.40 seconds March 5 indicates that Starship Duchess has retained her sharpness since the Mardi Gras. Stoupinator (Last 3 Beyers: 79-78-80) ◗ This Hugh Robertson trainee is a late runner who might get a favorable fast, contested pace and would be a serious contender on turf. ◗ In her last two turf sprints, Stoupinator was outrun by the talented Good Deed, who would be a standout if she were in this race.