Monmouth Park: Blueeyesintherein spotted for comfort in Just Smashing Stakes

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Garry Simms has a long-term plan for Blueeyesintherein in which he see her competing in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint this fall at Santa Anita. And he wants to get his talented 3-year-old there fresh and ready for the challenge.

That strategy explains why she is taking the long journey from Kentucky to Monmouth Park for the $60,000 Just Smashing Stakes on Sunday.

The six-furlong race drew a field of seven, with Blueeyesintherein, likely the odds-on favorite, drawing the rail.

There are not a lot of stakes options for 3-year-old filly sprinters. One of the biggest comes next weekend at Saratoga: the Grade 1 Prioress Stakes.

Simms feels the Prioress could be too much, too early in the campaign for Blueeyesintherein, who is 4 for 5 in her career, including a triumph in the Grade 3 Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs last summer.

“Right now, I just didn’t want to take on the big girls,” Simms said. “I’ve got a plan laid out for her. This became the other spot. It’s a long way to go for not much money, but I still have to get a race into her.”

So the Just Smashing became a viable option to give Blueeyesintherein additional stakes seasoning in a less demanding contest.

“I’m trying to keep her on the easiest path I can to the big race, the Breeders’ Cup,” Simms said.

This will the first Monmouth starter for Simms, who will bring in jockey Leandro Goncalves for the Just Smashing.

“She’s got tactical speed; she’s automatic,” Simms said. “She kind of likes to run at something. We’ll probably be near the lead, but not on it. It will also depend on how the track plays that day, but I have a lot of confidence she’s going to run a big race.”

And that spells trouble for the competition.

“No holes, nowhere,” Simms said. “I think she’s coming up the race 100 percent, and ready to run her race.”

Ju Ju Eyeballs is the top local hope, a successful $15,000 claim by trainer Jason Servis over the winter. She stretched her winning streak to four after taking Monmouth’s Crank It Up Stakes last month.

Her last three victories have come on turf, and Ju Ju Eyeballs has never gone farther than 5 1/2 furlongs.

Lucky Liberty and Ol Donyo both step up following recent victories. Lucky Liberty took a first-level race here. Ol Donyo was a nine-length maiden winner at Parx Racing.