At least one streak will end in Ruthless Stakes
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Malibu Moonshine has won her first three starts. Girl Trouble has won her last three starts. At least one streak will come to an end Sunday when the two 3-year-old fillies meet in the $100,000 Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct.
The Ruthless, a seven-furlong race originally scheduled for Saturday, was moved to Sunday after both the Friday and Saturday cards were canceled due to a forecast for extreme cold in the New York metropolitan area. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-40s on Sunday.
Malibu Moonshine, a Maryland-bred daughter of Bourbon Courage trained by Charlton Baker, is 3 for 3 with all her wins coming in Maryland, including two stakes at Laurel Park in December. Baker said Malibu Moonshine took a step forward in the Gin Talking Stakes on Dec. 30, when she rallied along the inside.
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“Her first two races, there wasn’t much competition,” Baker said. “Her last race was her best race. She’s got a lot of heart, a will to win. Last time, she wasn’t as good as she went into her first couple of races and she was able to overcome. She’s going into this one pretty good.”
The quality of Malibu Moonshine’s Gin Talking victory was somewhat validated when Stonewall Star, third that day, came back to win the Franklin Square Stakes on Jan. 22 by 6 1/4 lengths.
Baker said the plan for Malibu Moonshine is to run in the Ruthless, then get at least a one-month break before targeting a spring campaign.
Girl Trouble, a New Jersey-bred daughter of Fast Anna, is 4 for 7 and is coming off a trio of blowout wins at Parx, including a 6 1/2-length score in the Parx Futurity on Jan. 3.
Trainer Butch Reid, based at Parx, said he tried to take advantage of Girl Trouble’s New Jersey-bred status by running her twice in statebred races at Monmouth Park. Though she had a win and a second in those races, her speed figures were pedestrian.
Girl Trouble’s last three starts have come versus open company at Parx, where her numbers have greatly improved.
“The light came on with her,” Reid said. “We shipped her in the beginning, we ran her at Monmouth a couple of times and I’m not sure that didn’t confuse her just a tad. Her last few races at Parx, she’s really done well, she’s learning and she’s ready to go on the next level.”
Jose Lezcano rides Girl Trouble from post 4.
Interpolate, one of two runners sent out by Chad Brown, was a well-beaten fourth to Girl Trouble in the Parx Futurity, run in the slop.
“She broke bad, she got rushed, total disaster trip,” Brown said. “We’ll hopefully see if she can rebound.”
Senior Prank, Brown’s other runner was a game debut winner here on Jan. 7.
Royal Poppy, coming off a six-length maiden score in her fifth career start, and first with blinkers, completes the field.
The Ruthless goes as race 3 on a 10-race card that begins at 11:50 a.m.
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