Tiffany Lass next for Valadorna

Valadorna, the talented 4-year-old filly trained by Mark Casse, is entered in Saturday’s Blushing K. D. Stakes, but think nothing of it. Casse entered Valadorna in the race in case heavy rain in the New Orleans area on Dec. 8 played havoc with the Fair Grounds track. But races that day went off without a hitch, among them a second-level, two-turn dirt allowance Valadorna won by almost six lengths.

“We entered her again the day before she ran just in case something happened,” Casse said. “We’ll aim her now for the Tiffany Lass Stakes.”

The Dec. 26 Tiffany Lass is a mere $50,000 stakes race, but despite finishing second in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Valadorna has yet to win a stakes.

“That’s something we’d like to take care of,” said Casse.

Valadorna finished second by one length Nov. 1 at Churchill in her first start since Feb. 25, but, Casse said, she ran 70 feet farther than the winner that day. Last Friday, she got a good outside run behind a modest pace and drew away to an eye-catching score.

Meanwhile, the Albiciades Stakes winner Heavenly Love worked a half-mile in 49.60 seconds on Wednesday at Casse Farm in Florida, and she ships to Fair Grounds on Thursday. Heavenly Love is being pointed toward the Silverbulletday Stakes on Jan. 13.