Message of a Myth rested and ready

OCEANPORT, N.J. - A refreshed Message of a Myth looks well positioned Thursday in the $41,000 second-level allowance feature for fillies and mares at Monmouth Park.

The 6-year-old gray mare faces five rivals in the 5 1/2-furlong dash out of the turf-sprint chute. Three others - Heckuva Good Time, Stormy, and Wild Debutante - were entered for the main track only.

Message of a Myth got the rest of the winter off after rallying for third in the Lightning City Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in early December.

"She just needed a little bit of rest," trainer Jane Cibelli said. "She wasn't training that well. She was a little bit dull, even though she ran well in the stakes. She was a little bit knocked out.

"We gave her the time off and there was really nowhere to run her, short of taking her to Gulfstream and caving her head in. We decided to give her the winter off to have a fresh horse up here. If you race them hard in Florida, you don't have anything left to bring up here, where the money is."

Message of a Myth launched her comeback here June 1, finishing third in a half-length miss with Jose Lezcano aboard.

"She got into a little trouble in that race," Cibelli said. "Coming off the turn, she had nowhere to go. Lezcano did an excellent job of getting her through on the rail.

"With that race under her belt, I think she'll be very tough."

Lezcano has the return call.

The undefeated Only Me is the intriguing new face in this group. At 3, she is the junior runner, having run only twice - she won her maiden at Atlantic City Race Course before taking a first-level allowance at Pimlico. Only Me will be running on Lasix for the first time. Jose Flores rides for trainer Kate DeMasi.

Don't Stop Dreamin has returned to solid form for owner-trainer Eddie Broome. The turnaround started at Gulfstream in a claimer where she charged home to win by a neck.

She came north and wound up in the same race as Message of a Myth. Don't Stop Dreamin made a bold four-wide move that missed by only a nose.

Joe Bravo will be aboard for the third straight time.

Trainer Joe Orseno sends out an uncoupled duo of Lia's Luck and Fast Look.

Lia's Luck was second on the main track last time, while Fast Look, a Group 1 winner in her native Brazil, adds Lasix for her second U.S. start.