McLean hopes for uneventful race from Morning Addiction
Bill McLean was forewarned.
After he claimed Morning Addiction for $10,000 at Del Mar on Sept. 1, McLean was warned by fellow trainer Quinn Howey that the 6-year-old mare had a few quirky habits.
McLean, and everyone watching Golden Gate Fields on Sept. 30, saw the oddities themselves when Morning Addiction won a $12,500 claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs.
Morning Addiction set the pace, and pulled herself up on the turn before she rallied under jockey Assael Espinoz along the inside to win by a head. McLean was left stunned.
“That was quite a race,” McLean recalled on Thursday. “I thought maybe she broke down. She went from four in front to easing.
“When she turned for home, he was riding her again. I never thought she’d get there. If she hit the board, I would have been happy with that.”
Morning Addiction has her second start for McLean in a starter allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs at The Big Fresno Fair in Friday’s third race. Morning Addiction, who will be ridden by Espinoza, is the 5-2 second choice on the morning-line in a field of six behind 2-1 Blueberry Muffin.
Morning Addiction, who McLean co-owns with Chris Carpenter, is in the midst of her best year, with three wins in four starts. She won twice for Howey at Pleasanton and Del Mar in June and August. Morning Addiction was claimed for $8,000 by Eddie Truman the day she won in August. She finished third for Truman on Sept. 1, the day she was claimed by McLean.
In her 19-race career, Morning Addiction has won seven races and has had five trainers.
When trained by Howey in 2022, Morning Addiction pulled herself up while leading a race at Pleasanton but only recovered to finish third that day.
“He said she’s a funny filly,” McLean said of his conversation with Howey.
Howey also told McLean that Morning Addiction can be tough to train. She does not like to be galloped, but is often ponied or jogged, McLean said. Even then, she can be tough for a rider.
On Friday, Morning Addiction starts from post 5 in a field of six. Unlike her last race, she is unlikely to take a clear lead, with the speedy Air Force Woman drawn on the inside. McLean just wants an incident-free race and not a repeat of Morning Addiction’s running style on Sept. 30.
“I hope she doesn’t do it tomorrow,” he said.
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