Look for Spina colt in stretch

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Hearts Flashy Fire turned the corner last fall at The Meadowlands Racetrack. Trainer Chuck Spina hopes the 4-year-old colt can continue that momentum this summer on the Jersey Shore.

has the rail in the $48,500 allowance feature for New Jersey-breds on the first Wednesday card of the season at Monmouth Park. Hearts Flashy Fire faces nine rivals in the six-furlong race.

In his last race on May 28, Hearts Flashy Fire was second to a runaway winner, Salt Flat Kid.

"That horse really exploded last time," Spina said. "That was an awesome win."

Salt Flat Kid drew off to an 8 3/4-length win with Hearts Flashy Fire rallying for the place and earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 72.

Hearts Flashy Fire won his maiden on Election Day at The Meadowlands, prevailing at the end of a long drive. He came out of it with bucked shins, which kept him on the shelf throughout the winter at Philadelphia Park.

His first start this year was a third-place effort in a 6 1/2-furlong claimer on April 10 at Philly Park, followed by two New Jersey-bred allowance races at Monmouth.

A late-running colt, Hearts Flashy Fire is compromised by the switch to Monmouth, which cards only six-furlong sprints on the main track.

"We would love to go six and a half to seven furlongs out of the chute, like they do in Philadelphia." Spina said. "That suits him better, but the money in these New Jersey-bred races is much greater."

The race will be a family affair as Hearts Flashy Fire faces his half-brother, , who ran ninth in his 2005 debut. Both are out of the My Prince Charming mare Heart and Fire.

Arielle Crown and Bad Rep, maiden winners last time out, make their allowance debuts.

, in his first start of the year, drew away to a 4 1/4-length win. A 4-year-old gelding trained by Henry Carroll, Arielle Crown ran a 78 Beyer, the top career figure in this field.

First-timer Bad Rep was considerably slower in his victory, at 21-1, earning a 58 Beyer.

"He trained good coming up to the race but he's a hard-headed horse," said his trainer, Jim Ryerson. "It was nice to see him break his maiden."

makes his season debut after showing promise in both starts last year. He won at first asking against statebreds at Monmouth and finished fourth in open company in the Comet Stakes at The Meadowlands