BY STEVE KOCH
Florida-bred Gerrards Cross returns in black-type company in the $100,000 Stormy Blues Stakes, a five-and-one-half-furlong turf sprint for three-year-old fillies carded as race seven on Laurel Park’s Sunday, June 14 program.
The James M. Chicklo homebred enters as a two-time winner, most prominently a gate-to-wire score in last summer’s Colleen Stakes at Monmouth Park, where she drew off to a two-and-a-half-length victory over five furlongs of firm turf. The Midshipman filly debuted with a six-length romp at Gulfstream Park before shipping north for that first black-type win. She returns off a five-month layoff, last seen pressing the pace before fading to sixth in the $120,000 Gasparilla at Tampa Bay Downs in Jan. Trainer Kathleen O’Connell sends her out with Jeiron Barbosa named to ride; she’s 20-1 on the morning line.
A second Florida-bred, Niche, is entered for the main track only and would draw in should the race come off the turf. Bred by Summerfield Sales Agency and Etarip Stables, the Yaupon filly brought $275,000 as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale and has won two of six for Red White and Blue Racing and trainer Rob Atras, both recent dirt scores at Laurel and Aqueduct.
Atop the morning line stands Miguel Clement’s Only for Now at even money, the clear favorite off a single but eye-catching start. The R.S. Evans homebred daughter of Not This Time graduated at first asking May 8 at Aqueduct, rallying from last to collar a six-furlong grass maiden special weight.
The most accomplished runner is Just Philtored, the 5-1 second choice for trainer Michael Trombetta and owners Red White and Blue Racing and London Reid Thoroughbreds. The Great Notion filly enters off a layoff-ending fifth in the $150,000 Take the A Train May 9 at Aqueduct, but her résumé is the deepest in the field: a 4-for-7 juvenile campaign that included the Keswick on dirt and the Dolley Madison on turf, both restricted stakes at Colonial Downs, plus the state-bred Maryland Juvenile Filly on Dec 6.
Hark Theangelssing, also from the Trombetta barn, is a co-third choice at 6-1 for the Estate of R. Larry Johnson. She’s two-for-four on turf and lifetime, including an open-company optional-claiming win last fall at Laurel and a closing fourth in the $150,000 Stewart Manor at Aqueduct.
The Karakontie filly The Town Tempter shares third choice at 6-1 for Qatar Racing and Fergus Galvin, trained by Brendan Walsh. She owns two turf wins from three grass starts but exited a seventh in the $150,000 Cleopatra at Indiana Grand.
Tap Into Grace, a 10-1 chance for Haymarket Farm and trainer Brittany Russell, brings a turf victory and consistent placings, most recently a third in the $100,000 Xtra Heat on dirt at Laurel.
Completing the field: Gigabit (15-1), the Dialed In filly for trainer Rey Hernandez, exiting a front-running allowance win at Indiana Grand; River Escape (12-1), a debut winner for Kathleen DeMasi making her stakes bow off a long layoff; and Echo Juliet (20-1), an Echo Town filly for Marablue Farm and trainer Brett Brinkman.
Joining Niche on the also-eligible list for the main-track-only are Slewperstitus and Doc’s Miracle.
Post time is 3:11 p.m. EDT.
Return to the June 13 issue of Wire to Wire
