Valadorna using allowance to prep for Rachel Alexandra

Much was learned about the Fair Grounds 3-year-old males and 3-year-old fillies last Saturday in the Lecomte Stakes and the Silverbulletday Stakes, and even more will be known following a pair of first-level allowance races in those two divisions Friday.

Heading Friday’s entrants is Valadorna, widely assumed to rank near the top of her class following a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Valadorna drew the rail in race 5, a first-level allowance also open to $50,000 claimers and carded for a mile and 70 yards. Julien Leparoux thinks enough of her to fly in from Florida to take the mount.

Valadorna has been at Fair Grounds since mid-December, but Casse decided she wasn’t quite ready to tackle the Silverbulletday. He took a chance that Friday’s allowance would fill, and was rewarded with what could be a sweet prep race for the Feb. 25 Rachel Alexandra.

Valadorna first showed her talent to the general public on the backstretch of her career debut Sept. 16 at Churchill Downs, where she glided effortlessly up the rail to reach contention after racing near the back of the field in a one-turn mile. Valadorna wound up second that day, but then won a two-turn Keeneland allowance race by six lengths, and was last seen closing steadily to finish second, beaten three-quarters of a length by Champagne Room in the BC Juvenile Fillies.

The bare face of the form looks quite encouraging, but like much of the rest of her class last year, Valadorna never ran fast for an apparently top-class horse. The competition in her maiden and allowance races has not flattered her, and Valadorna has yet to finish in a notably quick time. Her rail draw Friday is less than ideal, and it’s not crazy for bettors to consider alternatives.

What What What raced for a $20,000 claiming tag at Delta Downs the same week Valadorna raced in the Breeders’ Cup, but What What What wired a Fair Grounds two-turn dirt race at this class level last month and could be loose on the lead again. What What What already has started twice this meet, and while not as talented as Valadorna, she surely holds a fitness edge in addition to her likely pace advantage.

Except for the sex restriction, race 7 has the same conditions as race 5, and it could yield a starter or two for the Feb. 25 Risen Star.

Trainer Neil Howard and jockey Robby Albarado won the Lecomte with Guest Suite, and in Society Beau they have the pick to win Friday. Society Beau had an active 2-year-old campaign during which he steadily improved, and though he was second to fifth-place Lecomte finishers Shareholder Value in a race at this class level Dec. 26, Society Beau ran decently in that start. He raced wide on the far turn while running the fastest third quarter-mile in the race, and was caught flat-footed when Shareholder Value came to him at the eighth pole.

Midway Gold scored a game debut win at a sprint distance Jan. 8 and is bred to handle two turns, but if he leaves running from the fence he is liable to tangle on the lead with as many as three horses drawn to his outside. Among them is Bobby the Brain, who faded to third behind Society Beau last out, but is capable of improving Friday.