Grade 1 winner ROUND POND (Awesome Again) will return to action in Sunday’s
$300,000 Molly Pitcher Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) at Monmouth Park. The four-year-old
filly, who has not been seen under silks since winning the March 11 Azeri
Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park, will make her first start for trainer
Michael Matz in the 61st running of the Molly Pitcher. Round Pond has been
working well at Fair Hill in preparation for this engagement, and she will
shoulder top weight of 121 pounds along with new rider Joe Bravo.
The small, but select six-horse field includes the last two winners of the 1
1/16-mile event — CAPESIDE LADY (Cape Town) (2005) and LA REASON (Labeeb [GB])
(2004) — as well as FRIEL’S FOR REAL (Sword Dance [Ire]), who is undefeated in
two starts at Monmouth Park. Friel’s for Real is coming off a resounding 5
1/2-length score over Capeside Lady in the Lady’s Secret S. at this track and
distance, while La Reason checked in sixth in the Delaware H. (G2) in her latest
outing.
Multiple stakes winner PROMENADE GIRL (Carson City) will lead the post parade
under 117 pounds and jockey Jeremy Rose, and will be followed by Friel’s for
Real, Eddie Castro, 119; LEXI STAR (Crypto Star), Charles Lopez, 117; Round
Pond; Capeside Lady, Shaun Bridgmohan, 117; and La Reason,
Christopher DeCarlo, 115.
Also on the card, the $80,000
Choice S.
has attracted seven sophomores, led by ROCK LOBSTER (Mt. Livermore), runner-up
by a nose in the Jersey Derby last time out. Other contenders in the 1 1/8-mile
turf test include three-time stakes winner ELECTRIFY (Delaware Township), making
his grass debut after a fifth in the Haskell Invitational (G1), and YANKEE
MASTER (Yankee Victor), successful in the Woodford Reserve Bourbon S. at
Keeneland last fall and a respectable third in an overnight stakes at Saratoga
in his 2006 bow.
An overflow field of 14 distaff turf sprinters, including four also-eligibles,
has been entered for the $80,000
Incredible Revenge S., a 5 1/2-furlong scramble on the lawn. Among the major
threats are SOCIETY HOSTESS (Seeking the Gold), QUICKFIRE (GB) (Dubai
Millennium), GILDED GOLD (Gilded Time) and DAISY FOR RUBIANO (Rubiano).