07/09/2012 4:38PM

Indiana Downs: Cozze Up Lady's tactical speed a plus in Indiana Distaff

By John McDulin
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Cozze Up Lady will be looking for her second consecutive win in the $125,000 Indiana Distaff on Wednesday’s closing night card at Indiana Downs.

The Distaff is one of two open stakes on a 13-race card that includes four stakes for Indiana-breds.

The Bret Calhoun-trained Cozze Up Lady won a one-mile turf allowance in her last out June 8 at Churchill Downs, the same surface and distance as the Distaff. Prior to that victory, she finished fourth, beaten 1 1/4 lengths going 1 1/8 miles at Churchill. Calhoun was pleased with both efforts.

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“She ran a big race in her first out after the layoff,” Calhoun said.”She looked like she was going to the lead in the stretch but she came up a little short. It was a big effort going a mile and an eighth her first time out for us.

“She then came back and ran a another big race and won. She is a very legitimate, good filly and this seemed like the best spot to have her.”

In her victory last out, Cozze Up Lady led from start to finish under Jon Court, and with a shortage of early speed in the seven-horse Distaff, she may find herself on the lead again.

“She is versatile and we didn’t necessarily want to take her to the lead in her last out,” Calhoun said. “Jon kept looking around to see who was going to the front and nobody did. We just inherited the lead.”

Calhoun said he thinks the same thing may happen in the Distaff, but isn’t worried if it doesn’t work out that way.

“She has good tactical speed, so we aren’t limited as to what to do with her,” he said. “If it sets up that we get the lead, that’s fine. If not, she can come from off of it.”

Miguel Mena will ride.

Silver Hustler drew the outside post in the Distaff and should be running late. She beat Cozze Up Lady when the two met on May 17. In her last out June 16, Silver Hustler finished fifth, beaten less than four lengths, in the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill. She was last early in both of those 1 1/8-mile turf events and the shorter distance and lack of speed in the Distaff may work against her. Brian Hernandez will ride her for the first time.