A talented 2-year-old losing his career debut can be beneficial, not detrimental, and the lessons Legalize learned tasting defeat in October at Keeneland have since been put to good use. Fifth as the 2-1 favorite in October, Legalize returned about a month later at Churchill Downs with a sharp maiden sprint win, following up on that with a strong score Saturday at Fair Grounds in the $97,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes.   Pressing the pace while racing three wide under Brian Hernandez, Legalize took care of his front-end rivals in upper stretch and comfortably held clear a run from stakes-winner American Rascal on the way to a 2 3/4-length victory. American Rascal, the narrow 8-5 favorite over Legalize, was 1 1/4 lengths clear of third place Agoo, who had won the Keeneland race where Legalize finished fifth.  While Agoo has improved modestly, Legalize ($5.40) has come considerably forward in the last 10 weeks. His six-furlong time of 1:10.56 was the fastest 2-year-old sprint time on the Saturday card, and Legalize was much the best despite, Hernandez said, losing focus and racing somewhat greenly after taking the lead.  :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. Still, Legalize has progressed. The colt, by Constitution out of Allez Marie, by Unbridled’s Song, has been fast from the start, trainer Cherie DeVaux has said. DeVaux, who trains Legalize for a large partnership, said she was somewhat surprised at the degree to which Legalize needed the experience of a first race.   His second one was much better, the third better still, and there still should be plenty more to come.  Lesile's Loot takes Letellier easily Leslie’s Loot, sixth choice in a seven-runner field, proved 3 3/4 lengths best in the $98,000 Letellier Memorial Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.   Shipping from New York for trainer James Champan, Leslie’s Loot paid $38.80 but won more like an 18-10 shot than a filly who went off at 18-1.  Jockey Jaime Torres made good use of his outside draw, placing Leslie’s Loot in third, just outside and behind dueling pacesetters Twirl Around and Brunch Punch, who tore through a quarter-mile in an intemperate 21.11 seconds. Leslie’s Loot easily cruised clear of those two at the three-furlong marker and despite going a half-mile in a testing 44.64, never got much of a challenge. Odds-on favorite Halina’s Forte spun her wheels in upper stretch and only managed second because no one else fired. Deboisblanc came from well off the pace to finish a modest third.  Leslie’s Loot won clear despite going her final quarter mile in a slow 26.75 seconds for a final six-furlong clocking of 1:11.39. She paid $38.80.  Chapman co-owns Leslie’s Loot with Stuart Tsujimoto and connections have kept the filly busy, Saturday’s marking her seventh start of 2023. Leslie’s Loot is by Fast Anna out of Wicked Storm, by Stormy Atlantic.  Even-money favorite Lovely Princess was saved by the wire winning the $98,000 Blushing K.D. Stakes by a head. Lovely Princess and jockey Brian Hernandez cut the corner in the Blushing K.D., a turf-route for older fillies and mares, while Creative Cairo was spun some six paths wide into the homestretch. Creative Cairo gathered herself at the furlong grounds and had late momentum but fell just short. Lovely Princess ($4) ran 1 1/16 miles on firm ground in 1:42.59. Kenny McPeek trains the daughter of Twirling Candy for Gentry Farms.  :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.