Hold That Prospect looks imposing

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - According to Weather.com, the Thursday forecast for New York is for rain, snow, and wind, with a 100 percent chance of precipitation. Indeed, Mother Nature may be the only thing that can stop Hold That Prospect from wiring the Mommy Dear, a $60,000 overnight stakes at six furlongs.

"She's 3-5 in there so you can't complain about that," said Gary Gullo, who has won five races with Hold That Prospect since claiming the 5-year-old mare for $30,000 last March.

A confirmed speed merchant, Hold That Prospect returned from an eight-week freshening to win the Correction, which was the third - and last - race on a weather-shortened program Jan. 30.

"Thankfully, they got that race in - I don't know if they would've brought it back," said Gullo. "She came out of it great. I'm in a pretty good spot here, and her numbers are pretty good on a muddy track. The only thing is that she's carrying a lot of weight. She's not really a big horse, so I'm not sure how she'll handle that."

Though Hold That Prospect has won with 120 or 121 pounds six times, she carried only 116 in the Correction, and must tote 123 under the conditions of the Mommy Dear, spotting three to five pounds to Bright Halo, Puddy de Luca, Magic Roberta, Ocarson, and Speculation.

Puddy de Luca and Ocarson, a pair of 4-year-old fillies trained by Butch Reid, will be shipping in from Philadelphia Park, and are uncoupled in the wagering.

Puddy de Luca makes her first start of the year, and she may have enough early speed to stay with Hold That Prospect, at least for a while. She had the lead at the pace call in five of her first six starts, the lone exception when she chased Light Green - subsequently a close second in the Grade 1 Prioress - through fast fractions in an overnight stakes at Belmont.

Ocarson has won or placed in six of her seven starts, along with a third-place finish in the Ruthless Stakes here last winter behind Justwhistledixie, who went on to win the Davona Dale and the Bonnie Miss, a pair of Grade 2 stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Ocarson will be looking for her third straight victory, after allowance wins at Philly Park and Penn National.

Magic Robert and Speculation make their first starts of 2010.