Mominou meets elders in turf allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Jimmy Toner is always on the hunt for a dirt horse. He thought he had one in the filly Mominou.

But after two double-digit-length losses on dirt, Toner put Mominou on turf last month, and she soundly defeated a field made up mostly of males by 5 1/2 lengths at Gulfstream Park.

Thursday, the 3-year-old Mominou will face her own gender, albeit older fillies and mares, when she faces winners for the first time in a first-level allowance race going six furlongs that serves as the feature on Aqueduct’s nine-race program.

Toner said Mominou had dirt breeding – she’s by Congrats out of a Grand Slam mare – and has breezed well on it. Toner felt Mominou raced greenly in her debut and then came out of her second race with a little shin issue. He decided to put her on the turf this winter at Gulfstream and remarkably couldn’t find a turf sprint for females to fill, so he tried her against the boys.

“The owner happened to be here, so we decided to give it a shot and she exploded and ran a huge race,” Toner said. “Well, we know she likes the grass.”

Mominou did receive a perfect trip behind dueling leaders in her maiden score. There does appear to be ample pace in here with Okinawa, Conquest Tizfire, and Play Me a Memory in the field.

May Flowers, another daughter of Congrats, also would benefit from a lively early pace. The 6-year-old mare is has not started since last October, but has had ample training both at the Webb Carroll training center in South Carolina and at Belmont.

Jeremiah Englehart, trainer of May Flowers, said Travis Durr at Webb Carroll “has been raving about her at the farm. She’s been doing very well this spring.”

May Flowers is only 3 for 25, but she is 2 for 11 at six furlongs.

Englehart said allowing May Flowers to drop back and make one run and doing it while in the clear has been the key to her winning two of her last five starts.

“When she gets running in the clear she makes a much stronger move,” Englehart said.

KEY CONTENDERS

Mominou, by Congrats
Last 3 Beyers: 84-41-26

◗ Was a visually impressive 5 1/2-length maiden winner in her turf debut against males March 4 at Gulfstream.

◗ Has come back with a pair of easy breezes over the Palm Meadows turf course.

◗ Picks up John Velazquez.

May Flowers, by Congrats
Last 3 Beyers: 78-81-79

◗ Went 2 for 5 over the final half of last year, with both wins coming at this six-furlong distance.

◗ Gets the services of the hot-riding Junior Alvarado, whom Englehart believes will fit this mare’s late-running style perfectly.

Okinawa, by The Factor
Last 3 Beyers: 77-70-68

◗ Has been away from the races for 14 months but has a steady work tab for a trainer, Chad Brown, who excels bringing horses back off a layoff.

◗ First try sprinting on turf after racing three times going a mile on it.