Missmizz, A Bit of Both to meet again in Blue Sparkler

Missmizz will attempt to turn the tables on the win-streaking A Bit of Both on Sunday in the $75,000 Blue Sparkler at Monmouth Park.

The race for 3-year-old fillies is one of two turf sprint stakes on the card. The $75,000 My Frenchmen for 3-year-olds is led by Quarky, Archidust, and Credit Swap.

A Bit of Both has won her last four starts, her latest over Missmizz in the $79,000 Honey Bee on June 15 at Monmouth. A Bit of Both, a speed horse who drew post 7 in the field of seven for the 5 1/2-furlong Blue Sparkler, is cross-entered in the $100,000 Coronation Cup on Sunday at Saratoga.

Trainer Jason Servis said he was leaning toward running A Bit of Both in the Blue Sparkler, but that she was not a definite as of Friday. Nik Juarez has the mount on the daughter of Paynter, who races for the partnership of Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and partners.

Missmizz will have something of a new look for the rematch Sunday.

“It doesn’t show, but we entered her with blinkers on,” trainer Michael Stidham said. “She will be running with blinkers on. So, we’re going to try that – hope to help her be a little bit more focused. Hopefully, we can turn the tables.”

Missmizz rallied for third in the Honey Bee, finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind wire-to-wire winner A Bit of Both. The start was the first on turf for A Bit of Both, while Missmizz is a seasoned turf horse. She won her debut at five furlongs on the grass in the maiden special weight ranks in December at Tampa Bay Downs and came right back to take a turf allowance in her next start in February at Tampa.

Missmizz will break from post 3 under Paco Lopez.

“We expect her to be kind of in a stalking spot, not too far back,” Stidham said.

Missmizz is a daughter of Mizzen Mast who races for Darrs Inc.

Also in the field is Saint Moon, a wire-to-wire maiden special weight winner in her turf debut last out at Monmouth. She appears to be the primary pace threat to A Bit of Both, whose four wins during her streak have come wire to wire – three at Gulfstream before the Honey Bee.

The My Frenchmen, also at 5 1/2 furlongs, drew a field of nine plus main-track-only entrant Releasethethunder.

Credit Swap is a two-time winner at the distance, having won turf sprints at both Monmouth last September and at Fair Grounds in November. He launched his 3-year-old season last month in the $50,000 Stanton at 1 1/16 miles on turf June 12 at Delaware Park. Credit Swap was edged by a half-length, and his connections are debating whether he should remain at two turns for now, or return to the turf-sprint distance of his win at Monmouth.

“We pretty much went in the race to take a look at it,” Stidham said of the My Frenchmen. “There’s a mile race in two weeks here at Monmouth. We’re not definitely running [Sunday]. We’re going to discuss it with the owners and make a decision, probably [Saturday]. We’ll decide if we want to run.”

Stidham said the mile race, the Frisk Me Now, is for 3-year-olds on turf July 27.

Quarky owns the field’s best career Beyer Speed Figure, an 88 for a starter-allowance win June 30 at Belmont Park. He wired his rivals in the six-furlong turf sprint, covering the distance on firm ground in a quick 1:07.41.

Archidust will be making his turf debut off a head win in a first-level allowance that was moved to the main track June 22 at Monmouth.

– additional reporting by Mike Welsch