Forever Liesl has class edge in Serena's Song

Forever Liesl had a wide trip when second in the Top Flight Invitational at Aqueduct in her last start, but has found an excellent spot to get back into the win column in the $75,000 Serena’s Song, a one mile and 70-yard stakes for fillies and mares Saturday that serves as the feature on a 12-race card at Monmouth Park.

Trained by Michelle Nevin, Forever Liesl will be heavily favored over five rivals in the Serena’s Song. She raced well when second to Another Broad in the $200,000 Top Flight after racing three wide on the first turn and four wide on the second bend of the 1 1/8-mile race at Aqueduct.

Another Broad proved stronger than Forever Liesl in the final sixteenth of the Top Flight, pulling away to win by 1 1/4 lengths and earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 86. An improving Maryland-bred 4-year-old, Another Broad has now won four of her nine races. She was making her second start for Sol Kumin and partners and trainer Todd Pletcher after being privately purchased from her owner-breeder Robert Meyerhoff and transferred from the barn of trainer Mike Trombetta.

Forever Liesl, 5, has been a consistent runner throughout her career and has compiled a 5-6-4 record from 18 starts, including a victory in the Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct in January. Although she holds a class edge on her competition, the weight assignments help level the playing field. Forever Liesl will carry 124 pounds and concede seven pounds to her five challengers.

Antonio Gallardo has the mount. Forever Liesl can be expected to settle off the pace before beginning her run.

Imply has made a nice living in the Pennsylvania-bred stakes ranks for her owner-breeder Barlar LLC and trainer Bernie Houghton. The deep closer will be making her 6-year-old debut after winning the Plum Pretty on dirt at Parx and the Lyphard on turf at Penn National last year.

◗ In race 6, Golden Brown will attempt to break a five-race losing streak, all for trainer Pat McBurney, when he begins his 4-year-old season in a second-level optional-claiming race at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Last year at 3, he won the Grade 3 Kent on turf at Delaware Park, finished second by a half-length to graded stakes winner Irish Straight on turf in the New Jersey-bred Dan Horn at Monmouth, and was fifth in the Haskell Invitational.

His competition Saturday includes Point to Remember, who will be making his 4-year-old debut for trainer Jimmy Jerkens. Point to Remember closed out 2018 with a first-level allowance win at Aqueduct.

◗ In race 11, which follows the Serena’s Song, Perfect Speighty will make her second start in a first-level turf allowance.

Perfect Speighty was sharp winning her debut at 10-1 on the turf at Laurel Park in April. A Charles Fipke homebred trained by Michael Dickinson, Perfect Speighty is by Speightstown and is the third foal out of 2011 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Perfect Shirl.