By Not For Love, out of Northern Idol mare She’s Jane, Talkin About Love will be attempting her sixth victory of the year. All five of her wins in 2007 have come in Oceanport, four of them in allowance competition. A Kevin Sleeter homebred, Talkin About Love captured her first stakes win in the Monmouth Breeders’ Cup Oaks (gr. III) Aug. 12.
A winner of six of 11 starts in her career, Talkin About Love ran well in her most recent effort, a third-place finish in the Fitz Dixon Cotillion Handicap (gr. II) at Philadelphia Park Sept. 22, when she was beaten by Bear Now and Octave after dueling in the stretch. Stewart Elliott will ride the New Jersey-bred, who will leave from the rail.
Despite her impressive record, Talkin About Love is not the favorite. That honor goes to Awesome Again filly Tessa Blue, who was purchased as a yearling by Bruce Lunsford for $215,000. Tessa Blue has won two of her last three starts, including a resounding score in the Oct. 5 Indiana Oaks (gr. III) at Hoosier Park, where she buried the field by 7 1/4 lengths.
The 9-5 choice, Tessa Blue is trained by Frank Brothers and will leave from post three with Mike Smith aboard.
The other filly with a decent chance is Boca Grande. Despite losing her last five starts, she is the classiest contender in the field of six. Every one of the A.P. Indyfilly’s seven starts this year have been in graded stakes competition, including four grade I tests. Her lone win of the campaign came in the Comely Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct in April, but she has placed in three of five starts since then.
Claude McGaughey III trains Boca Grande, who was second in the Indiana Oaks, for Phipps Stable. Cornelio Velasquez will ride.
Lost Etiquette, Bare Dancer, and Honorable Truth round out the field. Post time is 2:40 p.m. EDT.