Monmouth: Indian Spell scores at 16-1 in four-horse Miss Woodford

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The old racetrack wisdom about backing the longest shot in a short field paid off handsomely on Saturday at Monmouth Park in the $58,200 Miss Woodford Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters.

Indian Spell, the 16-1 outsider against three rivals priced 6-5 to 8-5, pulled the upset by a head over Fully Living.

Ju Ju Eyeballs, winner of five straight including the Crank It Up and Just Smashing stakes here, was the favorite and pressed the pacesetting Indian Spell on the turn.

Ju Ju Eyeballs, recovering from a muzzle infection that necessitated a scratch from the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga, managed to take a very brief lead before Indian Spell and jockey Gabriel Saez battled back.

Fully Living launched a three-wide bid that just missed at the wire.

Indian Spell, from the barn of Monmouth’s leading trainer Eddie Plesa Jr., earned her second win in nine starts. A $500,000 yearling purchase, Indian Spell is 2 for 4 since Plesa took over the training this summer.

“She’s a very well-bred filly and it’s great that’s she’s now a stakes winner,” Plesa said of the daughter of Indian Charlie out of Proud Spell, the winner of three Grade 1 stakes in 2008: the Kentucky Oaks, Delaware Oaks, and Alabama.

In her lone appearance at Monmouth, Proud Spell ran second in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Plesa also credited Saez with well-judged ride.

“I told the rider to just take a light hold and let her run her race,” he said. “He did a great job. He’s been a great addition to the riding colony here.”

Indian Spell ran the six furlongs on the fast track in 1:12.01, paying $35.80 to win.

Ju Ju Eyeballs was third followed by Frivolity.

Bow Bells cruises in Twin Lights

Bow Bells was a dominant winner in her stakes debut, beating Sense to Compete by 4 3-4 lengths in the $61,200 Twin Lights for 3-year-old fillies on the turf.

The 9-5 second choice, Bow Bells pounced on the pacesetting Doubled on the second turn and quickly pulled clear for her third win in four starts.

Chris DeCarlo was aboard for trainer Todd Pletcher as Bow Bells ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.70 on the firm course. She paid $5.80 to win.

Parting Kiss was third followed by Miss Squeal, Shaikha, and Doubled.