Henry's Posse learning to relax

Henry's Posse had what trainer Mark Hubley called "2-year-old sales syndrome" early in her career, meaning she had a tendency to run off at will. But with time and maturity, the filly has become more manageable, and Hubley is hoping that will equate to black type by Saturday evening.

Henry's Posse, with John McKee to ride, is the likely favorite in a field of 10 3-year-old fillies entered Saturday in the $50,000 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes, the 10th of 11 races at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Henry's Posse has run second in her last two starts, most recently the Dec. 19 Gowell Stakes at Turfway, and Hubley is confident the filly is ready for a breakthrough score in the 26th running of the 6 1/2-furlong Cincinnati Trophy.

"She's a pretty nice filly, actually," said Hubley. "When we first got her, she wanted to run off all the time, but we've really worked with her and gotten her settled down. I imagine she'll be the horse to beat there Saturday."

Hubley, 57, is a New York City native based at the Thoroughbred Training Center in Lexington, Ky., where he has about 20 horses in training, including stakes-caliber runners such as Your Round, Miss Red Delicious, and Codoy. His main client is the Katierich Stables of Larry Doyle, a Westchester, N.Y., businessman who, in partnership with Dan Beaton, made a private purchase of Henry's Posse after she easily won her career debut in Maryland last May.

Henry's Posse, a chestnut filly by Posse, was badly beaten in the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs in her first try for new connections, and after a disappointing run in an Ellis Park allowance, she was temporarily sidelined.

"She had a low-grade lung infection that we just couldn't get a handle on," said Hubley. "We finally got it under control, and now hopefully she's on her way."

Upon returning, Henry's Posse ran second in a Nov. 22 allowance at Woodbine, then second to Rapid Racer in the Gowell. Rapid Racer was scheduled to run Friday in the Dixie Belle Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

The main opposition looks like Cactus Cadillac, Helen Belen, and Nurse Donna, all first-level allowance winners last time out.