Cherokee Queen and Daisy Devine to clash in Mardi Gras Handicap

Clark Brewster's Cherokee Queen and Jim and Debbie Miller's Daisy Devine are set to do battle in the $75,000 Mardi Gras Handicap Tuesday at the Fair Grounds. The 1 1/16-mile contest on the turf finds the two horses with Aiken ties as the race's highweights, with Cherokee Queen carrying 121 pounds and Daisy Devine being assigned 119 pounds.

Cherokee Queen is a 7-year-old mare, and she continues to get better with age as she won her 2012 debut on Jan. 14, the Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap at the Fair Grounds. It was her second consecutive stakes victory as she ended 2011 with a win in the Blushing K.D. Handicap at the Fair Grounds on Dec. 17. Cherokee Queen drew the six hole, and will have jockey Shaun Bridgmohan in the irons. The daughter of the 1994 Eclipse Award winning Sprinter Cherokee Run, was broken and trained by Tim and Cary Frommer. Cherokee Queen is conditioned by Steve Margolis, and is the 9/5 morning line favorite.

A seven time stakes winner, Cherokee Queen breezed 5-furlongs in 1:01 on Feb. 12. The dark bay mare is a half-sister to stakes winner Indian Legend (also broken and trained by Tim and Cary Frommer), and has earned $613,312.

Daisy Devine drew post position 5, and the half-sister to stakes winners Patent Pending and Bargainwiththdevil, will be making her first start of 2012, and her debut against older horses. The daughter of Kafwain is the 2/1 morning line second choice, and will have regular rider James Graham in the irons. And like Cherokee Queen, Daisy Devine has scored wins in her last two starts, the Pago Hop Stakes on Nov. 26 at the Fair Grounds, and the Grade 3 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 21.

Todd Turner broke and trained Daisy Devine at Chime Bell Farm. The 4-year-old bay filly was sent to Legacy Stable's Ron Stevens and Brad Stauffer for additional training. Daisy Devine breezed 5-furlongs in 1:00 1/5 on Feb. 14 at the Fair Grounds and appears poised for the first start of her 4-year-old campaign.

Daisy Devine has five wins from 10 starts, placed second once and third once, and has earned $533,349.

Darley Stable's stakes winner Captivating Lass has been nominated to the $200,000 Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Feb. 25 at the Fair Grounds. A winner in her last start, the 1-mile and 70 yards Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct on Jan. 7, This will be the first time that the 3-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy will contest a race at the 1 1/16-mile distance. Captivating Lass is conditioned by Kiaran McLaughlin, and breezed 5-furlongs in 1:00.04 on Feb. 17 at Palm Meadows Training Center. The chestnut filly was broken and trained in Aiken by Tim Jones.