Unbeaten Cat on a Cloud gets toughest test

NEW ORLEANS - Undefeated Cat on a Cloud will face her most difficult test Monday in the $75,000 Letellier Memorial Stakes, the New Year's Day feature on the Fair Grounds card.

A roan daughter of Smoke Glacken, Cat on a Cloud has eight rivals in this six-furlong test for 3-year-olds.

Cat on a Cloud has done nothing wrong in her two starts, winning a maiden special weight at Ellis Park easily, then demolishing her rivals in the $200,000 NATC Futurity at Monmouth Park.

Trainer Ronnie Werner said he doesn't know yet how good Cat on a Cloud might be.

"Time will tell," he said. "She has done it the right way in the past. There's a little bit better competition in here so she will get tested."

Cat on a Cloud has been sharp in the mornings at Fair Grounds, finishing her preparations for the Letellier with a five-furlong bullet breeze in 1:00.60 on Dec. 23.

"To be honest with you I wasn't real happy about that," said Werner. "I like my stiffer work to be a few weeks out. I guess it was far enough out that we'll be okay, but actually the last work was a little stiffer than I was wanting. But she was by herself and she wanted to do it. That's a good sign, when they want to do it."

The field is deep with talent. Pro Pink has the most experience, having run in five graded stakes races. Trained by Jamie Sanders, she finished second in the Grade 3 Kentucky Breeders' Cup and fourth in the Grade 3 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs.

Magnetic Miss won the Showtime Deb at Hawthorne and ran fourth in the Debutante there at 1 1/16 miles after pressing the pace.

Several fillies in the race have already won over this track. Richters Star won the Mississippi Futurity at Fair Grounds. Total followed a maiden score at Keeneland with an easy victory in a first-level allowance race here, and Lady Takum is coming off a rallying maiden victory over the track.

Floral Park comes into the Letellier with a nice reputation after several impressive performances at Churchill Downs. She won at first asking despite racing greenly, then finished second after a troubled trip in her first allowance try. After that she dug in gamely to win an entry-level allowance by a nose.

Bedazzler is the wild card in the field. She was a top 2-year-old filly at Suffolk Downs earlier this year, and she doesn't have the speed figures to match some of her rivals. But she has demonstrated an explosive closing punch.