Martha's Music will get wet track

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Monday's card at Aqueduct was canceled because of a severe blizzard, and the $75,000-added Rare Treat Handicap was moved to Wednesday.

Martha's Music, who is based at Philadelphia Park and shooting for her fifth straight win, is the one to beat. Owned by Leonard Green's D J Stable, Martha's Music is the 119-pound highweight.

On Monday, Martha's Music's trainer, John Servis, was shoveling snow after Philadelphia was hit with two feet over the weekend. He said he was confident Martha's Music would be on a van early Wednesday for the Rare Treat.

Only five fillies and mares entered the 1 1/8-mile Rare Treat, which lost its Grade 3 status this year and had its purse dropped from $100,000.

After a poor performance in the Susan's Girl Breeders' Cup at Delaware Park on June 29, Martha's Music reeled off four wins. Three of those victories came in stakes at Laurel Park: the Martha Washington Breeders' Cup, the Grade 3 Anne Arundel, and the Nellie Morse, Jan. 25, which was Martha's Music's most recent start. Her wins ranged in distance from six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, with two coming over wet tracks.

Servis said a wet track won't be a problem for Martha's Music, a daughter of Sultry Song. With warming temperatures on Wednesday, it's a good bet the track will be wet.

Stewart Elliott has been aboard Martha's Music for her last three wins and rides from post 3.

Martha's Music's main opposition appears to be Ellie's Moment. In her last start, she finished second to Critical Eye in the 1 1/4-mile, Grade 3 Ladies on Dec. 21 at Aqueduct.

Trained by Jimmy Toner, Ellie's Moment, a half-sister to millionaire Brian's Time, has won 5 of 11 career starts. A winner on dirt and turf, Ellie's Moment seeks her first stakes win and her first win around two turns on the dirt.

Shaun Bridgmohan, who has the mount, has ridden Ellie's Moment in her last five starts, including two wins at a mile over Aqueduct's main track.

"I think she is the kind of filly that will do anything because she is laid back," Bridgmohan said. "In her last race, she went farther than she had ever been and handled that quite fine."

Pocus Hocus, second in the Videogenic Stakes after setting an uncontested pace, should be the main speed.

Affectionately runner-up Wishful Splendor and Miss Splash complete the field.

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