Dark Artist the one to beat in Open Mind

Dark Artist ran a strong race to win the $75,000 Boiling Springs at Monmouth Park four weeks ago and returns Saturday in the Open Mind, which has the same conditions except for its $60,000 purse. The thing is, Dark Artist was 6-1 in the Boiling Springs and may be half that this time around.

Still, Dark Artist has run very well to win her last two races for trainer Jane Cibelli. She settled early in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies, then came home in 5.74 seconds to hold safe even-money favorite Reversethedecision, who also finished with a good run.

Dark Artist is now 2 for 3 since Cibelli moved her to turf at Gulfstream Park. She set the pace and tired in her grass debut in January, then returned from a three-month layoff to go wire to wire in a first-level optional claimer in April.

The 83 Beyer Speed Figure that Dark Artist earned in the Boiling Springs is tops in the field. Trevor McCarthy will be back aboard.

People looking to beat Dark Artist will likely consider one of the Chad Brown runners in the field.

The catch is, So Hi Society, who finished third in the Boiling Springs at 6-1, didn’t have any obvious trouble. And, while Wealth Effect is coming off a second in the Memories of Silver at Aqueduct in April, she in no way challenged 6 1/4-length winner Significant Form, who has since come back to finish second in the Grade 3 Wonder Again. Wealth Effect was last on the far turn and then was all out to get up for second.

If there is a sleeper in the field, it could be Judge Lee, who was scratched out of the $50,000 Christiana on Wednesday at Delaware Park. Judge Lee is coming out of the Hilltop at Pimlico, which was run on an extremely soft rain-soaked course. She stalked the pace, then tired to finish fifth, beaten 25 lengths.

The winner of the Christiana, Peach of a Gal, was beaten 10 lengths in the Hilltop at 5-2 but rebounded. Judge Lee, who won a Parx allowance in her prior start for Kate DeMasi, might also.