Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Contact: Jon Forbes
MARY'S FOLLIES RETURNS IN ATHENIA
ELMONT, N.Y. – Mary's Follies, off for the past 11 months, will return to the races Saturday at Belmont Park in the Grade 3, $100,000 Athenia for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Purchased by Paul Pompa, Jr. and transferred to the barn of Rick Dutrow, Jr. off a victory in the 2009 Grade 3 Boiling Springs at Monmouth Park, Mary's Follies finished second in an off-the-turf running of the Grade 3 Lake George at Saratoga and sixth on the dirt in the Grade 2 Fitz Dixon Cotillion at Philadelphia Park in her first two starts for her new connections. Back on grass for the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere at Churchill Downs in November, the bay daughter of More Than Ready kicked away to a 1 ½-length victory before being sent to the sidelines.
Mary's Follies has been working steadily since mid-August in preparation for her comeback start.
"I never was targeting this race," said Dutrow. "I thought she was ready and I looked in the condition book and saw this race, and it seemed like a good spot. She's been ready for a while."
Mary's Follies, the 9-2 third choice on the morning line, will be ridden by Hall of Famer Kent Desormeaux from post position 2.
Julien H. Richmond-Watson's Tottie rallied from last of four to take an optional claimer on June 17 in her first and so far only start at
"We're very happy with her so far," said trainer Chad Brown. "She's won four of six starts here and has adjusted well."
Brown said he was originally considering the Scoot Stakes at
"At the last second I decided to send her because she was training so well," said Brown.
In the Athenia, Tottie will be cutting back from 1 3/8 miles, but Brown is confident Tottie is just as formidable at 1 1/16 miles.
"She should be fine," said Brown. "She's already won at this distance. With the cut back, she should be a little closer to the pace."
Tottie, tabbed as the 7-2 second choice on the morning line, will leave from post 5 with Jose Lezcano aboard.
Strike the
"She's doing well and obviously she runs well here," said David Donk, who trains Strike the
Alex Solis has the call aboard Strike the
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is hopeful that Harvey A. Clarke's Eye of Taurus will take to
"She had some troubled trips before she won the stakes last time," said McLaughlin. "It should be better here with the wider turns. She's doing well and she had a good workout [4 furlongs at Monmouth in 48 2/5] yesterday."
Eddie Castro retains the mount aboard Eye of Taurus, 6-1 on the morning line and leaving from post 7.
Completing the field are Todd Pletcher's entrants Giant Mover and Miss Catalyst; recent optional claiming winners Darjeeling, Trix in the City, and Missit; Exquisite, who will be making her first start for trainer John Terranova, and Way With Words, winner of a pair of sprint stakes on dirt at Monmouth over the summer. McVictory is entered for the main track only.
The field for the Grade 3 Athenia:
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | Odds | |||
| 1 | Giant Mover (VA) | D Cohen | 120 | T A Pletcher | 10-1 | |||
| 2 | Mary's Follies (KY) | K J Desormeaux | 120 | R E Dutrow, Jr. | 9-2 | |||
| 3 | Trix in the City (KY) | C Hill | 116 | R A Violette, Jr. | 15-1 | |||
| 4 | Miss Catalyst (KY) | M J Luzzi | 116 | T A Pletcher | 10-1 | |||
| 5 | Tottie (GB) | J Lezcano | 123 | C C Brown | 7-2 | |||
| 6 | Exquisite (NZ) | J L Espinoza | 118 | J P Terranova, II | 30-1 | |||
| 7 | Eye of Taurus (KY) | E Castro | 120 | K P McLaughlin | 6-1 | |||
| 8 | | C H Velasquez | 116 | S M Asmussen | 30-1 | |||
| 9 | Missit (IRE) | R Maragh | 116 | R L Attfield | 30-1 | |||
| 10 | Way With Words (NJ) | J F Chavez | 120 | M | 15-1 | |||
| 11 | Strike the | A O Solis | 123 | D G Donk | 3-1 | |||
| Also Eligible: | | |||||||
| 12 | McVictory (KY) (MTO) | 118 | T A Pletcher | 2-1 | | |||
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