Lady Byar takes upset shot at Peach Flambe

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Lady Byar had an excellent tune-up in Florida for Sunday's $40,000 second-level allowance feature for fillies and mares at Monmouth Park.

Facing the boys for the first time in her career, the 5-year-old Lady Byar rallied to lose by only three-quarters of a length in a starter allowance at Gulfstream Park on April 13 that was for horses who had run for a claiming price of $16,000 or less.

"A couple of more jumps and she would have won," said trainer Joe Orseno.

The race concluded a highly successful Florida excursion for Lady Byar, whom Orseno claimed last May for $30,000 from Kelly Breen, Monmouth's leading trainer the last two years. In her other two races, Lady Byar beat fillies and mares in similar starter allowances.

"She really excelled in the one-turn miles down there," Orseno said.

Orseno originally sent Lady Byar south to Tampa Bay Downs before moving her to Gulfstream after studying her past performances and realizing she loved one-turn miles.

Lady Byar is 6-1-1 in 9 career races at a mile. Unfortunately, the race Sunday is a two-turn contest. On the plus side, Lady Byar has hit the board in 7 of 8 starts at Monmouth.

She faces six rivals, including Peach Flambe, the likely favorite. Peach Flambe, 4, ran career-best Beyer Speed Figures of 83 and 82 in her last two starts, runner-up finishes in allowance races at Gulfstream and Aqueduct. She is trained by Mark Hennig.

She last raced at Monmouth as a juvenile, winning her debut and then running fifth in the NATC Futurity.

Completing the field Sunday are Murphy Style, Clearly Ideal, Jenny Bean Girl, Real Memories, and Jersey Gia.

The $60,000 Red Cross Stakes for fillies and mares, the scheduled Sunday feature, did not fill; only three were entered. The racing office will try to bring it back on May 19.

Frankel among Shore newcomers

There are some major changes in the trainer roster this summer at Monmouth.

In the biggest shift, Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel will have 40 horses on the grounds. His horses are scheduled to arrive right after the Preakness.

In recent seasons, Frankel sent a smaller contingent to Monmouth later in the meet after Churchill Downs closed. Last year, Frankel had a Monmouth record of 8-3-3 from only 18 starts.

"He's coming in with a full barn and staying to the end," said racing secretary Mike Dempsey. "He'll be here in full force."

John Rigattieri comes for the first time with 20 horses. He was the training champion at Suffolk Downs the last three years and was among the leaders over the winter in Maryland.

John Kimmel, who has had horses stabled at Monmouth in the past, returns with 20.

"We have a good group of trainers returning and some solid new additions," Dempsey said.

Among the trainers not returning are Peter Walder, Justin Nixon, Norman Pointer, and Linda Rice.