Keen rivals rematched in Ruthless
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Megascape and Pelham Bay were the top New York-bred juvenile fillies of 2004. Two days into their 3-year-old season, Megascape and Pelham Bay meet in an open company stakes when they head a six-horse field in Sunday's $75,000 Ruthless at Aqueduct.
Megascape beat Pelham Bay in the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes in October and Pelham Bay came back to beat Megascape in the Maid of the Mist 20 days later. Megascape had a legitimate excuse in the Maid of the Mist as she was diagnosed with a lung infection.
validated that excuse when she came back to win the Grade 3 Valley Stream Stakes on Nov. 21. Pelham Bay returned to finish a disappointing third in the East View Stakes on Dec. 5.
Since then, Megascape shows three works, including a best-of-48 breeze in 1:01 on Dec. 23. She came back and blew out four furlongs in 47.84 seconds. She shows no signs of the lung infection that plagued her in October.
"Everything looks good at the moment," said Toby Sheets, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. "She's had two really nice works; hopefully, all systems are go."
With regular rider John Velazquez now in south Florida for the winter, Stewart Elliott has the mount on Megascape.
Megascape will carry top weight of 122 pounds and looks like the main speed.
Trainer Pat Kelly believes was compromised in the East View when one of two speed horses stumbled at the start, leaving the other speed loose on the lead. Pelham Bay raced close to the pace while winning the one-turn Maid of the Mist, but Kelly would still like to see someone else tackle Megascape early.
The other four fillies in the field all have speed, it's just a matter of whether they will be used dueling with Megascape.
The connections of Academy Brass were high on their filly when she debuted, but she raced greenly and finished fourth. She came back to win a maiden race over the inner track by eight lengths.
Dancin on Broadway shows two bullet works since winning her New York-bred entry-level allowance condition. Norberto Arroyo rides from post 6.