Clearly a Queen on the rise again

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Last September, Clearly a Queen won the Grade 3 Violet on the turf at The Meadowlands. But she failed to win in her next six starts, all stakes, four of them graded.

Clearly a Queen, who had been trained by Bobby Barnett and Bill White in her previous races, came to the barn of Teresa Pompay at the start of the Monmouth meet, and she won her first start for Pompay, on May 26 in an allowance on grass.

Pompay said Clearly a Queen has moved forward since that win, and she is part of a full field of 10 fillies and mares in Sunday's $50,000 Politely Stakes at one mile on the turf.

In her allowance score, Clearly a Queen, owned by John Franks, closed from the back of the pack against a slow pace to win by one length as the 6-5 favorite.

"She got a lot out of the race and has been doing great since," Pompay said. "She picked up a little weight and has been training very well here."

The 5-year-old Clearly a Queen has a record of 2-2-1 in six starts at the Politely distance. Eibar Coa retains the mount Sunday.

Clearly a Queen was facing tougher competition over the winter in graded stakes at Churchill Downs, Calder, and Gulfstream than she will on Sunday.

One of Clearly a Queen's main opponents is the Vicki Oliver-trained Wittenberg. Wittenberg, a

6-year-old, is a stakes winner on the dirt but may be even better on the turf. In only three lifetime turf starts, she has one win and a second.

Wittenberg most recently displayed a powerful late kick on the grass to win a conditioned allowance by 3 1/4 lengths on

April 13 at Keeneland. Oliver said that it was Wittenberg's best race, on dirt or turf. She earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure in the race.

"She ran such a big race," Oliver said. "It's her last year of racing and the turf is much easier on her."

Caught Out has run well in her four lifetime turf starts and is coming off a win on the turf at Pimlico. She is trained by Michael Dickinson.

Completing the field are Riotous Miss, Silver Rail, Lady of the Future, Brandala, Sluice, Cousin Gigi, and Kim. The Goddess Athird and Vitrina Cat are on the also-eligible list.

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