More ground may suit Bearursa

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - A wide trip at a distance that may not have been her best resulted in a third-place finish for Bearursa in her dirt debut last month at Aqueduct.

Bearursa has that experience under her belt and a better post position for a two-turn first-level allowance race that serves as Thursday's feature at Aqueduct. A field of eight was drawn for the mile and 70-yard race, and morning-line favorite Imthequeenofqueens could be vulnerable if she runs.

Trainer John Parisella said Tuesday he was going to scratch the filly after she developed a case of colic over the weekend. But on Wednesday, after Imthequeenofqueens galloped well over Belmont Park's training track, Parisella said he would take a chance and likely run the filly, who was beaten a neck in a simlar spot on Jan. 15.

Bearursa made the first 21 starts of her career at Woodbine, winning four times on that track's synthetic surface. Claimed by owner Maggi Moss for $25,000 last November, Bearursa made her dirt debut for trainer Bruce Levine, finishing third behind Citifiesta. Bearursa had post 11 in that six-furlong race, was able to save some ground down the backside, but had to swing extremely wide in the stretch and was beaten 6o1/2 lengths.

She has since been turned over to Steve Asmussen. Asmussen's assistant Toby Sheets said he believes Bearursa will benefit from stretching out to a route race.

"Just the way she's been training, I think the stretch-out will help her,'' Sheets said.

Bearursa figures to get a stalking trip from post 3 under leading rider Ramon Dominguez.

There is not a lot of confirmed speed in this race, though Wise Choice and Kaffiend have done their best running on the lead through slow fractions.

Bearursa is a four-time winner and faces a field with only two other multiple winners. Imaladystella has lost 12 straight after winning several low-level claiming races at Charles Town. Honeymoon Suite is 2 for 18 - recording both of those wins at Woodbine - before finishing third and second in beaten claiming races at Aqueduct. She does make her first start off the claim for trainer Gary Contessa.

Hookin the Goods and Jabbar complete the field.

* Earlier on the card, Shine Upon, a good-looking debut winner last Nov. 21 over Aqueduct's main track, takes on winners for the first time in a six-furlong allowance for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies. Shine Upon debuted for Jimmy Jerkens, and has since been transferred to Mike Hushion.

Shine Upon, a half-sister to the graded-stakes-placed Keep the Peace, figures to get a good setup with Azucca Anne and Valuable Lady likely to set a contested pace.