Little Journey, looking to rebound from a last-place finish in the Lake George Stakes (gr. IIT), heads the field in the $100,000 Boiling Springs Stakes (gr. IIIT), the Labor Day feature event at Monmouth Park Sept. 1.
The Boiling Springs, for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf, was originally scheduled for Aug. 30, but officials redrew the race for the Labor Day card after it initially failed to fill. There were no such problems this time as eight fillies were entered, plus one more for the main track only.
None of the starters have tried the nine-furlong distance before, giving the race a wide open feel. It goes as the 10th race on the Monday program with a 5:32 p.m. EDT scheduled post.
Trained by Chad Brown, Little Journey is pegged at 2-1 on the morning line. The French-bred import is making her fourth start in the United States following earlier third-place finishes in the listed Edgewood Stakes and the American Oaks (gr. IT) at 10 furlongs May 31 at Santa Anita Park.
In the 1 1/16-mile Lake George July 23, the gray daughter of Great Journey was caught five wide on the far turn while attempting to rally and could make no headway in the drive when seventh, beaten by 3 1/2 lengths. It was the only time in a 10-race career that Little Journey, a stakes-placed allowance winner in France, has finished worth than third.
Abel Castellano Jr. takes the call for the first time on Little Journey, who drew post 4. She is owned by the partnership of Michael Pietrangelo, Truxton Racing, Steve Laymon, and Gary Pitts.
Team Valor International's Irish-bred import Black Elegance is second on the early line at 4-1. A minor stakes winner in Italy, where she began her career with back-to-back wins, Black Elegance has had one U.S. start, finishing a close third in the Christiana Stakes July 9 at Delaware Park for trainer Rick Mettee. Eddie Castro has the mount from the far outside.
Queenie's Song was second in the one-mile Christiana by a nose over Black Elegance after an awkward start in her stakes debut. Angel Serpa takes over on the 9-2 chance, who leaves from gate 2 for Baumann Stables and trainer Graham Motion. Queenie's Song was a $350,000 2-year-old purchase at the 2013 Keeneland April sale.
Others who figure to be well-supported in the evenly matched event are She's Not Here and Munirah, as well as supplemental entrants Mary n' Eileen and Sumba Sunset. The latter is a $385,000 Keeneland yearling buy coming off a nose maiden win at Saratoga Race Course.
My Merry Way was entered for the main track only.
Monmouth Park, Monday, September 01, 2014, Race 10Entries: Boiling Springs S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1She's Not Here (KY) Orlando Bocachica 116 Victoria H. Oliver - 2 2Queenie's Song (KY) Angel Serpa 116 H. Graham Motion - 3 3Sumba Sunset (KY) Jose C. Caraballo 116 Michael R. Matz - 4 4Little Journey (FR) Abel Castellano, Jr. 116 Chad C. Brown - 5 5Mary n' Eileen (IN) Orlando Bocachica 116 Patrick B. McBurney - 6 6Sallyport (KY) Charles C. Lopez 116 Timothy E. Salzman - 7 7Munirah (KY) Trevor McCarthy 116 H. Graham Motion - 8 8Black Elegance (IRE) Eddie Castro 116 Richard C. Mettee - 9 9My Merry Way (KY) Trevor McCarthy 116 H. Graham Motion -
