Palazzo Babe Sharp in Starlight Racing Feature

Keith Plaisance’s Palazzo Babe, away fastest but allowed to settle behind the early leader, regained command in mid-stretch and drew off for a 4 3/4-length tally in Friday’s Fair Grounds opener, a $51,000 filly and mare allowance and optional $40,000 claiming sprint that served as the richest event of the evening during the third Starlight Racing program of the New Orleans Thoroughbred racing season.

The dash for members of the distaff set was scheduled for the Stall-Wilson turf course but decimated by scratches to a field of four and run at 5 1/2-furlongs over a sloppy main track following afternoon showers throughout the Crescent City.

Trained by Eddie Johnston and ridden by John Jacinto, Palazzo Babe paid $7.40 and $3.20, toured the distance in 1:04.63 and increased her career earnings to $132,284 with her fifth career victory in 22 lifetime starts.

Steve Markwell and Samuel Froedge’s Backside Blackie, allowed to settle, rallied in the stretch to be easily second best, paying $3.40 while finishing 10 1/4-lengths to the good of Andrew and Christina Arthur’s Bloemer Girl, who made the pace with early splits of 22.97 and 46.26 before tiring suddenly in the final furlong.