Mia's Crusade gets one last crack at New Jersey-bred stakes record
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Several notable New Jersey-breds could be making their final starts on Sunday at Monmouth Park, but only one has the chance to make history. Mia’s Crusade might be past her prime, but the 7-year-old mare will have one more chance to break the record for most New Jersey-bred stakes victories in the $75,000 Eleven North Handicap.
When the Chuck Spina-trained mare won the $85,000 Smart N Classy Handicap last summer, she tied the record for most New Jersey-bred stakes victories with six. She has run three times since but has not come within 9 3/4 lengths of another win.
“She’s like a lot of us, like me. She’s lost a step,” Spina said. “She’s 7. This is probably going to be her last race. She’s training well. I think she always tries, no matter what the surface is. She has a great record, runs on any kind of surface. I’m hoping that she makes a good account of herself.“
In 26 career starts, 25 of which have come in New Jersey, Mia’s Crusade has earned nine victories and nearly $540,000 in purse money. She won the six-furlong Eleven North in 2023.
Trainer Mike Dini also said the Eleven North will likely be the last start for Summer’s Comin. The 5-year-old mare has been remarkably sound and well traveled in her 36-race career, earning nine victories at five different tracks.
“A couple times, she had troubled starts, and then this year, I tried to keep her in training and it worked out,” Dini said. “She’s like a big bully when she wants to be, but she isn’t. But even up until now, she’s never had an issue, which is unusual for these horses.”
Neither Dini nor Spina definitively named the Eleven North as the last start for their mares, but they both said it was likely.
In a field of nine New Jersey-bred fillies and mares, Spina also entered Jewel of the Ocean, a rival of Summer’s Comin in recent starts. The 4-year-old filly finished second behind Summer’s Comin in the $80,000 Spruce Fir Handicap in June before switching to turf and defeating that rival in the $80,000 Jersey Girl Handicap later that month.
She followed Summer’s Comin to the Regret but faded to seventh in open company. Summer’s Comin finished second that day and then stayed in open company for the $100,000 Incredible Revenge on turf, where she finished sixth by 10 lengths.
Charles Hesse III Handicap
Trainer Eddie Owens Jr. will preparing for a farewell of his own on Sunday, as the 6-year-old mare Riding Pretty will retire after taking on the boys one more time in the $100,000 Charles Hesse III Handicap.
“She’s sound and I want her to retire sound,” Owens said. “I was hoping [the owners] would keep her, but she’ll be going into a sale this fall.”
Hesitant to run her at six furlongs against female rivals, Owens decided to enter Riding Pretty in the 1 1/16-mile Hesse last year and was rewarded when she held on to win by a neck. It was her second stakes victory that year and fourth overall.
Owens said he will remember the chances he took with the 6-year-old mare and the challenges she embraced. As a 3-year-old, she finished third in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks before winning New Jersey-bred stakes on both turf and dirt. She has won 8 of 34 career starts.
“We ran into some tough races down in Florida,” Owens said. “If you take the Florida races and take them out, she’s been really consistent. She’s been right there. She went on turf, dirt, synthetic. Just a hard-knocking filly.”
J J Zo Zo, the 3 1/4-length winner of the $100,000 Irish War Cry Handicap last month, will switch from turf to dirt for trainer Cesar Alcala.
New Jersey Breeders Handicap
All eyes will be on Cairo Surprise in the $75,000 New Jersey Breeders Handicap on Sunday. The Cal Lynch trainee won his last two starts against New Jersey-breds by a combined 15 1/2 lengths, including a 6 1/4-length romp in the $80,000 John J. Reilly Handicap in June.
Last month, the 3-year-old gelding switched to turf for a test in open company, finishing third by 1 1/2 lengths in the $100,000 My Frenchman. Back at six furlongs on dirt against statebred company, he will be a heavy favorite in the field of seven this weekend.
Boardwalk Jack, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Owens, finished 6 1/4 lengths behind Cairo Surprise in the Reilly, which his trainer blamed on the nine-month layoff. He entered the $200,000 Mr. Prospector the following month and finished behind Book’em Danno and Quint’s Brew, earning an improved 84 Beyer Speed Figure.
“We didn’t have him cranked up [in the Reilly], but if he would have broke a little sharper, I think he would have been into the race a little more,” Owens said. “He shouldn’t be far off.”
Owens also entered the 7-year-old gelding Speaking, who could give Cairo Surprise trouble on the front end.
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