Just Jenda scores in Tiffany Lass

Just Jenda was just too good for her rivals (Lou Hodges Jr. Photo)

Cindy Jones’ JUST JENDA (Menifee) got back on the winning track Saturday with
a 1 3/4-length victory in the $75,000

Tiffany Lass S. In the process, she began a double for trainer Larry Jones,
who one race later sent out Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy) to capture the Lecomte S.
(G3) and sweep the
two three-year-old stakes on Fair Grounds’ “Road to the Derby” Kickoff Day.

With Terry Thompson aboard, the chestnut filly rated in last during the early
running and came three wide around both turns while Selva (Forest Wildcat) was
setting splits of :23 3/5, :47 2/5 and 1:12 4/5 on the front end. Just Jenda
made her move on the outside of Selva and pulled clear late to finish the mile
fast dirt test in 1:38.

“We were confident the way she was coming up to this race,” Jones said.
“She never looked like she got hold of the track (when fifth at Delta Downs in
her last race). She ran very stressfully over there. She is a quality horse.”

Just Jenda now owns just one career loss (Lou Hodges Jr. Photo)

“Out of the gate (today), she broke a little fresh. The 5 horse (She’s
Extreme [Unbridled’s Song]) moved past us. It allowed me to get in the
cat-daddy’s seat and I was just waiting to pounce.”

Just Jenda suffered her only loss to date in that Delta Downs race, the Delta
Princess S. (G3). Prior to that one, the filly earned a nine-length victory in
the Brandywine S. at Philadelphia Park and a 6 3/4-length debut maiden win.
She’s now earned $128,900 to go along with her 4-3-0-0 mark.

Just Jenda rewarded her backers in this event with payouts of $7, $3.60 and
$2.20 while keying the $18 exacta and $31 trifecta (4-1-3) as the 5-2 third
choice. Selva was worth $2.80 and $2.10 as the 3-2 second pick for holding
second by 2 3/4 lengths over Delta Princess winner Four Gifts (Even the Score),
who was worth $2.10 as the 6-5 favorite. She’s Extreme and
Rocket Reece (Native Regent) completed the order under the wire.

Bred in Kentucky by Lavin Bloodstock Services, Just Jenda was a Keeneland
September RNA at $37,000 in 2007. She is out of the stakes-placed Liberty School
(Pine Bluff), who also has an unnamed yearling filly by Five Star Day, and comes
from the same family as 1986 Blue Grass S. (G1) hero Bachelor Beau (Raised
Socially).

Earlier on Fair Grounds’ card, three other stakes showcased the talents of
older runners. Winchell Thoroughbreds’ homebred CLASSIFY (Unbridled’s Song)
rallied down the middle of the course to take the $75,000
Dr. A.B.
Leggio Memorial S. by 2 3/4 lengths. Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard the
Steve Asmussen charge, who finished up about 5 1/2 furlongs on the good turf in
1:04 3/5.

Classify returned to Fair Grounds’ turf to score (Lou Hodges Jr. Photo)

“One of the filly’s best races was on the turf here (in an allowance on
December 6, 2007), so we were undecided between running (in the January 17
American Beauty S. at Oaklawn Park) and this race,” Asmussen explained. “We
decided to give her a chance again on the turf; it worked out well.”

Classify captured the Incredible Revenge, Tellike S. and Spring Fever S. last
year, all at different tracks on the dirt. With this victory, the five-year-old
gray moved her line to 19-8-0-4, $255,850.

James and Alice Sapara’s GOOD AND LUCKY (Wild Rush) raced close to the pace
in the $75,000

Louisiana H. under Patrick Valenzuela and got the jump on his rivals in the
stretch, taking over and scoring by a length for trainer Josie Carroll. The dark
bay gelding ran 1 1/16 miles on the dirt in 1:43 2/5 to capture his first stakes
win since taking the Gulf Coast Classic S. last March.

Good and Lucky improved his record to 22-8-3-3 having accumulated $383,915 in
earnings. The six-year-old also owns a win in the 2006 Woodchopper S. and placed
in the Eclipse S. (Can-G3) and Tenacious H. last season.