Final Assault looks ready

Final Assault finally put it all together at Monmouth Park last summer, wiring both first- and second-level allowance fields before just failing to last as the favorite in an optional claiming race prior to hitting the sidelines for a well-deserved rest. Sunday, Final Assault attempts to get back to her winning ways at Monmouth in the $60,000 Spruce Fir Handicap for fillies and mares at a mile and 70 yards.

By the looks of recent drills, topped off by a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.20 in the slop last Saturday, she's ready to roll. Stewart Elliott gets the call.

Final Assault's main competition may come from a couple of 3-year-old fillies, and Dressed for Succes. Avery Hall, switching back to Tony Black, exits a sharp gate-to-wire score in the Open Mind Stakes at six furlongs, her first try against older rivals. She will likely be a strong factor from the opening bell for trainer Cynthia Reese, who excels with horses on the stretch-out.

, trained by Patrick Biancone, ran her local record to 2 for 2 with a front-running victory over a New Jersey-bred second-level allowance field, also her first try with older runners. She had previously run third in the Lone Star Juvenile Filly Stakes at Lone Star Park last October on Breeders' Cup weekend. Joe Bravo will ride.

If the pace gets too hot, Cigno d'Oro, second behind Avery Hall in the Open Mind and fourth in this race last year, may be able to run them all down late. The 6-year-old Cigno d'Oro, who will be ridden by Eddie King Jr., is the 119-pound highweight.

The co-featured $60,000 Politely Stakes, for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf, features Dynamia, an up-and-coming 4-year-old.

She most recently finished fourth in Pimlico's Grade 3 Gallorette on Preakness Day and could be tough to handle with any further improvement. The lightly raced Dynamia will make her third consecutive start without a layoff line - the first time she has done so in her brief career.

Grade 3 stakes winner Snowdrops, who won last year's Politely, arrives from her Saratoga base for trainer Christophe Clement and could well be the main challenger. High Court and the Todd Pletcher-trained highweight, Krasnaya, should also make their presence felt.