More Than a Party more than capable in Red Cross
More Than a Party will be facing tougher company in the $70,000 Red Cross Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday than she defeated in the Open Mind Stakes for New Jersey-breds. But don’t be fooled, she is strictly the one to beat.
More Than a Party won the Open Mind by two lengths, but if jockey Paco Lopez had moved his hands or shown her the stick at any point during the stretch run, the margin would have been much greater.
The same goes for her 73 Beyer Speed Figure. If Lopez would have asked, More Than a Party certainly had more to give, and her time would have been faster.
Instead, Lopez sat still as a statue for the length of the stretch, allowing More Than a Party to do only what was needed to hold runner-up Pinkout at bay.
More Than a Party also had to overcome early trouble in the six-furlong Open Mind. She was tracking front-runner World Gone Wright along the inside when things tightened up entering the far turn. Lopez had to snatch up, and More Than a Party briefly put the brakes on.
It didn’t matter, though, as More Than a Party recovered, took the lead nearing the stretch, and then led her rivals on a merry chase home.
More Than a Party is owned and was bred by Richard Malouf and Edwin Broome and is trained by Broome. A 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready out of Party to Party, she is a half-sister to the two-time New Jersey-bred stakes winner Partyallnightlong, a winner of 10 of 27 starts and $516,000.
More Than a Party’s chief rivals in the six-furlong Red Cross include Monmouth optional-claiming winner Legal Laura; She’s Ordained, a winner of $469,000; and Tea Time, who will be making her third start following an eight-month layoff.
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Red Cross, race 11
Key Contenders
More Than a Party (Last 3 Beyers: 73-74-97)
◗ Showed in the Open Mind that she can win from off the pace, and that strategy might serve her well in this speed-laden field.
Legal Laura (Last 3 Beyers: 80-66-72)
◗ Earned a career-best Beyer last out while winning a second-level allowance race with authority.
She’s Ordained (Last 3 Beyers: 72-79-86)
◗ Might not have fired her best shot in the My Juliet Stakes at Parx while coming back on eight days’ rest.
Tea Time (Last 3 Beyers: 81-67-83)
◗ Improved in her second start off the bench and enters off two bullet works at Fair Hill.
Aireofdistinction (Last 3 Beyers: 54-80-84)
◗ Bore out and tired in the Grade 2 Distaff at Aqueduct on April 18 while making her third start for David Jacobson. Faces easier here but does not show a recorded workout.
Valkyria (Last 3 Beyers: 72-72-53)
◗ Lightly raced runner is 2 for 3 in her career. Gets a class test here.