La Verdad may take on the boys

ELMONT, N.Y. - When trainer Linda Rice looks over the fall stakes calendar for filly and mare sprinters, she finds opportunities few and far between. So, she is considering running her New York-bred filly La Verdad against males for her next start.

Rice said La Verdad, who won Saturday’s $150,000 Iroquois Stakes for New York-breds, could run in either the $350,000 De Francis Dash at Laurel Park on Nov. 15, or the Grade 3, $300,000 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct on Nov. 27. Both races are at six furlongs.

“I don’t see a lot around for fillies and mares,” Rice said.

Referring to the De Francis, Rice said: “It’s the right distance, not graded. It might not be that tough. I’ll nominate to the Fall Highweight, too. Maybe too tough, maybe not. I’ll give them both a look.”

Rice said that if she elects not to run La Verdad in either spot, there’s the $100,000 Garland of Roses for fillies and mares at Aqueduct on Dec. 6.

If La Verdad runs in the Fall Highweight, she could meet fellow New York-bred Moonlight Song, winner of Saturday’s $150,000 Hudson Handicap.

Trainer Charlton Baker said Moonlight Song came out of the Hudson in good order and that he would try to make the Fall Highweight.
Moonlight Song ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.58 in the Hudson and earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure. La Verdad, who ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.13, earned a 93 Beyer.

Meanwhile, trainer Mike Hushion said that Princess Violet, the dominant winner of the $300,000 Empire Distaff, would be pointed to the Grade 3, $400,000 Comely Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles over Aqueduct’s main track on Nov. 29.

“Not a whole lot of options,” Hushion said.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said he had no immediate plans for Empire Classic Handicap winner Effinex.