True Blonde Beauty faces Prado's Lass

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Trainer Cole Norman got a bit ambitious when he threw True Blonde Beauty to the wolves in the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn in April. She finished 11th in that race, her second since switching from the barn of Patrick Daly to Norman, but came back to run second in an entry-level allowance at Lone Star and could be in the right spot Thursday at Louisiana Downs.

True Blonde Beauty is part of a full field of 12 in a one-other-than allowance at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

True Blonde Beauty has made only one start on turf, a sixth-place finish in a maiden special weight at Fair Grounds in January. A Proudest Romeo filly, True Blonde Beauty's only victory came in a 1 1/16-mile special weight race at Oaklawn March 25 in her first start for Norman.

John Jacinto will ride on Thursday.

Prado's Lass, who will be making her first start for trainer Shane Wilson, has extensive experience on the turf. A 4-year-old daughter of El Prado, she won her maiden over the grass last summer at Ellis Park and turned in a couple of strong runner-up performances over the Fair Grounds turf over the winter.

Wilson takes the blinkers off Prado's Lass and has enlisted the services of jockey Roman Chapa.

Belusko's Babe, winner of her turf debut here on May 14, steps up from the claiming ranks. Trained by Danny Whited, Belusko's Babe rallied strongly from off the pace after settling off some quick early fractions in that last win. A quick early pace looks likely once again.

Pie N Burger starting over

This time last year, Pie N Burger was just beginning a roll that would see him win 5 of his 7 starts in 2003. Included in that campaign were victories in the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap, the Evangeline Downs Mile, and the Seabiscuit Handicap at Santa Anita on Breeders' Cup Day.

Trainer Cole Norman is hoping that last Sunday's allowance win will start another string of successes for 6-year-old Pie N Burger after some hard luck earlier this year.

Heavily bet in a pair of Grade 3 stakes at Oaklawn, Pie N Burger had the misfortune of catching Private Emblem and Sonic West as each flirted with career bests. In his most recent start, he lost all chance early in the Grade 3 Texas Mile when forced to check sharply in the first turn. Pie N Burger could run next in the $50,000 Ark-La-Tex here June 20.