Despite hurdles, Pauseforthecause looks best in La Verdad

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Pauseforthecause will have to overcome two hurdles in order to run her winning streak to four in Saturday’s $100,000 La Verdad Stakes at Aqueduct. She will have to successfully handle seven furlongs and, most likely, a wet track.

Pauseforthecause is 0 for 2 at seven furlongs and 0 for 3 over wet surfaces. Rain was forecast for Friday and Saturday.

However, Pauseforthecause is back with New York-breds after winning the Garland of Roses against open company going six furlongs here Dec. 8. Further, her six opponents are a combined 0 for 11 at seven furlongs and 2 for 19 over wet tracks.

Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains Pauseforthecause for owner-breeders Chester and Mary Broman, believes Pauseforthecause is simply better now than she was the previous times she tried to navigate seven furlongs or a wet track, including an 11-length loss to runaway winner Kathryn the Wise in last January’s La Verdad Stakes.

“I think she’s just gotten really good now,” McLaughlin said. “You never like slop or rain with one that hasn’t run well on it, but I think she’s a different filly now. It shouldn’t bother her.”

McLaughlin added the seven furlongs is “a tiny bit of a concern but hopefully not with New York-breds.”

Pauseforthecause has reeled off three consecutive victories, including a win against New York-breds in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes going 6 1/2 furlongs at Belmont in October. Her three victories have come in front-running fashion, and she will likely be the one to catch Saturday breaking from post 2 under Manny Franco.

Cash Offer has 3 wins and 5 seconds from 10 starts, all for trainer Mark Hennig. While most of her success has come on the front end, she did sit off horses winning an off-the-turf second-level allowance for statebreds on Dec. 6.

Cash Offer will break from post 5 under Jose Lezcano, who won seven races from 13 mounts over the previous two Aqueduct cards.

Kept True, Bluegrass Jamboree, and Aunt Babe finished 1-2-4 in a statebred allowance two weeks ago. Kept True certainly had the best trip of the three, stalking the pace in second, while Bluegrass Jamboree raced between horses and Aunt Babe was widest of all.

Bluegrass Jamboree has finished behind Pauseforthecause the two times they’ve met. Her fastest race would make her fit in this group. She also has the services of Eric Cancel, who went 9 for 27 last week with four multiple-win days.

Trainer Charlton Baker is concerned about the distance for Bluegrass Jamboree.

“I got to get Eric to sit on her as much as he can, but the horse you got to beat is speed, so it might be hard to sit there while she’s going away,” Baker said. “The challenge of the race is to get the distance.”

Aunt Babe is 0 for 22 since she won the Franklin Square Stakes here in February 2018. Indy’s Lady returns from a seven-month layoff for trainer Jeremiah Englehart. Fight On Lucy is still eligible for a first-level allowance race.