Biancone has secret weapon

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - On Wednesday, Whoopi Cat flew with stablemate Pomeroy from California to New York. On Saturday in Aqueduct's Grade 3 Cicada, Whoopi Cat will try to prove she wasn't just along for the ride.

Pomeroy, entered in the Grade 3 Gotham, is the primary reason trainer Patrick Biancone came to New York. Whoopi Cat, however, might be the horse ready for the better effort when she runs in the $100,000-added Cicada.

"It's her third race this year, so she is fit and ready," said Biancone, who trains both Whoopi Cat and Pomeroy for Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. Pomeroy, noted Biancone, hasn't run since September.

, who won the Dearly Precious over the inner track in her last start on Feb. 14. Also entered are the Dearly Precious runner-up and third-place finisher, Bohemian Lady and Baldomera.

As a 2-year-old, Whoopi Cat won a maiden race by six lengths at Belmont Park last July. In her next start, she won the Grade 2 Adirondack at Saratoga as the favorite. She didn't race again until Jan. 19, when she finished sixth in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez at Santa Anita. In her last start, she was fifth in the Grade 1 Las Virgenes there around two turns.

"Her first race was poor and her second race was better," Biancone said.

Before winning the Dearly Precious by 1 1/2 lengths, Among My Souvenirs won a maiden race and the Marshua Stakes at Laurel Park. Among My Souvenirs, who will be making her first start at seven furlongs, made her career debut in December.

"She was talented and precocious enough to run at 2, but we found a small ankle chip and took it out," Dutrow said. "Watching her run, I would think she would do well from six [furlongs] to seven, but I have to see it before I believe it."

In the Dearly Precious, Bohemian Lady pressed the pace and had the lead in the stretch before being passed by Among My Souvenirs. She figures to be part of the pace again in the Cicada in the absence of any true speed horses.

Freeroll won at this distance last fall at Aqueduct and likes a muddy track, a possibility on Saturday. She's a Mugs and Whirlwind Charlott complete the field.