Monmouth Park: Fillies outnumber males in compact Jersey Juvenile

Three fillies with good credentials have their male rivals outnumbered in Saturday’s $60,000 Jersey Juvenile Stakes, the featured race on the next-to-last program of the 2013 season at Monmouth Park.

The six-furlong race for New Jersey-breds attracted just five starters and goes as race 5 on a 10-race card.

The most accomplished runner in the compact lineup is the filly Flay Mignon, who won the Colleen Stakes, a five-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-old fillies, in her second lifetime start. She drops back in with statebreds after flashing early speed and fading to seventh in the $104,000 Sorority Stakes on Sept. 1.

Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. shows an excellent 5-for-14 record (36 percent) with 2-year-olds returning in a stakes following a break of 31 to 60 days.

The other two fillies, She’s Hot Wired and M S C Jet, both are coming off maiden wins. She’s Hot Wired finished four lengths clear of M S C Jet in the career debut for both on Aug. 3. M S C Jet, trained by Tony Wilson, improved her Beyer Speed Figure from 42 to 71 in winning her second start on Aug. 24.

Charleymillionaire, a colt who scored as the 1-2 favorite in his second lifetime start, and Lorjim, a gelding who defeated high-priced maiden claimers in his lone start, complete the field.

Greg Sacco, the trainer of Charleymillionaire, won the 2010 Jersey Juvenile with Loving Dove. He is 5 for 18 (28 percent) with 2-year-old maiden winners returning after a break of 31 to 60 days.

Ed Broome, the owner, trainer, and breeder of Lorjim, has had only two juvenile maiden winners over the past five years, and neither came back to win next time out.

Leading trainer, owner still undecided

With just two days of racing remaining, Jorge Navarro holds a 44-41 lead over Eddie Plesa Jr. in the Monmouth trainer standings.

To overtake Navarro, Plesa would have to go 4 for 4 with the horses he has entered on the final weekend and hope that Navarro goes 0 for 7. Navarro has three horses entered Saturday and four on Sunday.

Red Oak Stable and High Point Thoroughbred Partners are tied for leading owner with 17 wins apiece. Red Oak has two horses each on Saturday and Sunday while High Point has three entered on Saturday and none on Sunday.

Paco Lopez has easily clinched his second Monmouth riding title. Lopez, the leading rider in 2010, has 93 winners, nearly 40 more than his closest competitor.

Following Monmouth’s Sunday program, Thoroughbred racing in New Jersey shifts north to the Meadowlands for 10 all-turf cards beginning on Friday, Oct. 11.