Joseph A. Gimma runners hope to take advantage of Maple Leaf Mel's absence
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With Seeking the Ante Stakes winner Maple Leaf Mel sidelined for the remainder of the year due to a physical issue, opportunity beckons for seven New York-bred 2-year-old fillies, who each will try to become a stakes winner in Friday’s $125,000 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes at Aqueduct.
Among them is Security Code, who was beaten five lengths by Maple Leaf Mel on Aug. 10 in a maiden race at Saratoga. Security Code came back to win her maiden by 1 3/4 lengths on Sept. 2, also at the Spa. Trainer Phil Serpe said his 2-year-olds aren’t typically prepared to win first time out, so he’s been happy with both of Security Code’s starts. Serpe also likes the idea of stretching her out from six to seven furlongs.
“More ground the better for her,” Serpe said. “She’s a tough filly. She’s got this tough attitude about her, so I like that.”
Security Code is a daughter of Frosted owned by WellSpring Stables, the same outfit for whom Serpe trains the Grade 1 Spinaway winner Leave No Trace.
Jose Lezcano rides Security Code from post 2.
Miracle, a daughter of Mendelssohn, was a six-length winner of a maiden special weight race for owners WinStar Farm and Siena Farm and trainer Rodolphe Brisset on July 27 at Saratoga. She fell victim to Maple Leaf Mel – and perhaps an off track – when third in the Seeking the Ante Stakes on Aug. 26.
“We were a little disappointed, I got to be honest,” Brisset said. “She didn’t get a hold of the slop and ran a little flat. We thought off of the first race we could have done better.”
Brisset said he and the owners were considering running Miracle in Monday’s $100,000 Aspirant Stakes going 5 1/2 furlongs at Finger Lakes, but after drawing the outside post in this spot and with no Maple Leaf Mel in the field, Miracle will stay in the Gimma.
“I thought with the outside post and being seven furlongs, we are where we want to be,” said Brisset, who has Flavien Prat to ride.
Lady Mine won her maiden at Saratoga in her third start, beating the highly regarded next-out winner Im Just Kiddin. Lady Mine, a daughter of First Samurai, came back to run second to Maple Leaf Mel in the Seeking the Ante. She took on Maple Leaf Mel around the turn and into the stretch before being repelled. Still, she did finish 2 1/4 lengths clear of Miracle.
“She’s getting better every race,” trainer Jim Chapman said. “She was a slow learner. Sometimes she breaks a little slow because she’s so big, but she’s figuring it out and puts herself in the race now.”
Chapman is staying with apprentice jockey Jose Gomez, despite the fact that in stakes he does not get the five-pound allowance he is afforded in non-stakes races.
Gambling Girl, who finished behind both Lady Mine and Miracle in maiden races earlier in the summer, was a 10 1/2-length winner of a seven-furlong maiden race at Saratoga on Aug. 24 for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Small Pebbles, Warsaichi, and Les Bon Temps complete the field.
The Gimma goes as race 8 on a card that begins at 2:05 p.m.