Eight Gals Expected for Saturday's Sorority

This has been a good year for New York-breds racing outside of New York (think Funny Cide), and trainer Terri Pompay hopes to carry on the trend Saturday with Stand On Top in the $100,000 Sorority Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park. The 2-year-old daughter of Peaks and Valleys broke her maiden at Saratoga against state-breds in July, but Pompay thinks she's ready to take on open company.

"She's really doing well," the trainer said. "She had a terrific work the other day (a half-mile in :47 flat on Saturday), and she fits in this race. There are a couple of tough fillies in there, but she's been doing great since she came back from Saratoga."

Carlos Cruz will ride John Jayco's filly for the first time Saturday. Pompay will not be on hand at Monmouth to send out Stand On Top. She's traveling to Delaware Park to put the saddle on Tabacchi in the $200,000 NATC Futurity.

Tabacchi, a $64,000 yearling purchase at Ocala last year, made an impressive debut at Monmouth on Aug. 2 when he won like a good thing. Pompay said the owners, Sterling Stable, turned down a seven-figure offer for the colt. Tabacchi is from the first crop of Horse Chestnut, who had been a champion in his native South Africa. Joe Bravo rides Tabacchi.

A field of eight juvenile fillies is likely for the golden anniversary running of the six-furlong Sorority. The race has showcased some very talented misses over the years, and the stakes record of 1:09 is still held by Ruffian, who won the 1974 running. Favoritism Saturday will likely fall between Fashion Girl, the D. Wayne Lukas-trained filly who was placed first in the Colleen Stakes last out, and Feline Story, winner of Belmont's Astoria Stakes for trainer Stanley Hough. The others expected to run are Capeside Lady, Foolishly, Private Gayla, Standswithafist and Whirlwind Charlott.