Dressed to Win set for best

She had often fired fresh, so it was no surprise that when the filly Dressed to Win returned from more than eight months on the shelf here last month, she came back running. The impressive part was the fact that she did it against the boys.

Dressed to Win, a 4-year-old daughter of the Danzig sire Exchange Rate, employed her tactical foot from the outset en route to a sharp runner-up finish, two lengths behind fellow returnee Big Train, in a six-furlong race on the inner turf course.

Trained by Linda Rice, who is known for her prowess with turf sprinters, Dressed to Win will attempt to build on that starter-allowance effort Thursday when she returns in a seven-furlong starter allowance for fillies and mares over the Widener turf course.

Dressed to Win won a maiden race at one mile over the course last year, so she should have little problem handling the added furlong on Thursday. She will be ridden by Eibar Coa and start from post 2.

Dressed to Win will face challenges from a couple of others who are also sharp now.

High Draw, trained by Allen Jerkens, won her maiden in her initial turf start, which came over the Widener course and at this seven-furlong distance just one race prior to Dressed to Wins June 13 comeback. High Draw came from well out of it early in her maiden win. She drew the rail for Thursdays race and will have jockey Javier Castellano aboard.

The tracks morning-line favorite is Positive Prospect, who was claimed by Gregory DiPrima from her last start. She looked like a new runner when switched to the turf in that race, rallying from well behind to beat conditioned claimers. Stepping up to face better today, Positive Prospect breaks from post 6 with Rajiv Maragh to ride.

One race earlier on Thursday, Morning Perks drops out of stakes company in a second-level optional $25,000 claiming race. Morning Perks will get a rider switch to Eibar Coa to face the softest bunch hes tackled this year.

His main competition figures to come from Executive Search, ridden by Edgar Prado, and Ferocious One, a winner for a $10,000 claiming tag over the track this past Saturday. Jean-Luc Samyn has the return call on Ferocious Won.