Miss Brazil, rested since maiden win, returns in Monday's Ruthless

Trainer Tony Dutrow didn’t have an immediate plan for Miss Brazil after she won her maiden by 2 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct on Nov. 29. But when told how fast the 2-year-old filly ran, Dutrow knew he would be in no hurry to run Miss Brazil back.

Dutrow gave the filly three weeks off and, by late December, it was clear to him that the $100,000 Ruthless Stakes would be the perfect spot for Miss Brazil’s return. The Ruthless was scheduled for Sunday, but has been pushed back to Monday due to a snowstorm forecast to bring five to nine inches of snow to the New York Metropolitan area on Sunday.

The entire eight-race card scheduled for Sunday will be run as drawn on Monday, with first post at 1:20 p.m. The Ruthless, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies that drew a field of only five, is carded as race 3.

Miss Brazil, a daughter of Palace Malice, finished third in her debut on turf on Oct. 25 at Belmont. Dutrow said that was by design because he thought it would get her experience and more fitness than would weekly dirt workouts.

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In her dirt race, Miss Brazil dueled with another horse, put that one away, then turned aside a challenge from odds-on favorite Caramel Swirl. Miss Brazil earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance, a number on par with figures earned by the upper echelon of the division.

“Before she ever came to me, they were telling me how special she was,” Dutrow said. “Everybody I’ve had on her at Belmont Park has told me the same thing. We’re excited about seeing just what she is.”

Miss Brazil drew the rail Sunday, so jockey Eric Cancel will have to utilize her speed again.

“In both her races she was excellent in the gate and she broke excellent,” Dutrow said. “I would anticipate her being a good girl in the gate and breaking well. I’d anticipate her on the lead unless somebody wants it so bad, they can have it. I don’t think it matters to her where she sits.”

Miss Brazil could face pressure from Little Huntress, who in her second career start recorded a 14-length front-running win at Laurel Park.

Little Huntress is trained by Brittany Russell, who last Sunday shipped in Hello Hot Rod to win the $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes. Russell said Saturday she is “pretty sure” she will still ship up Little Huntress on Monday but needed to consult with her owners before confirming.

Gulf Coast won the Cash Run Stakes going a mile at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 1. Though cross-entered in Saturday’s Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, trainer Rodolphe Brisset said the seven furlongs and short field of the Ruthless were more attractive to him and owners WinStar Stablemates Racing. She arrived in New York on Friday.

“We’re not sure she wants to go two turns based on her last race,” Brissett said. “We kind of think seven-eighths might be a little better, at least for now.”

Dealing Justice dead-heated for third behind Miss Brazil before coming back to win her maiden on Jan. 10. It Can, fifth in the Xtra Heat Stakes after winning her first two races, completes the field.