Dutrow filly even better on fast track

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. wasn't sure what to expect from Expect the End when he ran her in the Jena Jena Stakes over a fast Saratoga main track last month.

Expect the End's first two starts had been over sloppy tracks where she had a win and a second. But Expect the End delivered her best race over the fast surface, rolling to a 13 1/2-length victory in the Jena Jena. Dutrow hopes for an encore when Expect the End faces six New York-bred juvenile fillies in the $100,000 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes at Belmont Park.

Expect the End drew the outside post in the seven-horse field. As the only stakes winner in the field, she is the 122-pound highweight, conceding five to seven pounds to the rest. Rafael Bejarano replaces the injured Edgar Prado.

Dutrow claimed Expect the End for $30,000 out of her debut at Churchill Downs on May 16. She won that race by three-quarters of a length. Dutrow then ran her in the Colleen at Monmouth, where she finished second to New York City Girl.

In the Jena Jena, Expect the End came over on the rail horse at the start, then was shut off along the inside down the backside. Prado got Expect the End off the rail and into a stalking position, and they took over midway around the far turn. She galloped home an easy winner.

"It was much better than I was even hoping for," Dutrow said. "I had no idea how that filly was going to run because the only races she had were in the slop. It was a pleasant surprise. I'm kind of excited about watching her run again."

In the Jena Jena, Expect the End beat the Linda Rice-trained Myakka. Sunday, Expect the End will face the Rice-trained Meriwether Jessica, who won her debut by 12 1/4 lengths here on Sept. 7. Sent off at 4-5 in her debut, Meriwether Jessica chased the speedy Kaz Court before putting her head in front at the three-eighths pole and drawing off.

She is coming back in just 16 days and will have to stretch out from five to seven furlongs. Meriwether Jessica breaks from the rail under Cornelio Velasquez.

"I would rather we'd be moving from five to six furlongs, but that's what our options are at this point," Rice said. "If anything, she was a little short going into that maiden race. Now she's carrying more weight."

Beam of Love, trained by Gary Contessa, won a New York-bred maiden race going seven furlongs at Saratoga before finishing third in the Lady Fingers at Finger Lakes.