Move to wet main track suits Fircroft

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Fircroft, who chased eventual Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Storm Flag Flying in her last two starts, preferred the softer company Sunday as she rallied to win the $84,000 Miss Grillo Stakes by one length at Aqueduct.

Marc's Rainbow, who gave way grudgingly after making all the early pace, held second, 4 1/4 lengths ahead of 3-2 favorite One and Twenty. There were nine scratches from the race, which was originally scheduled to be run at nine furlongs on turf, but was moved to the same distance on dirt because of Saturday's heavy rains.

Fircroft ($6.70), ridden by Jean-Luc Samyn, covered the nine furlongs in 1:49.79 - 1.21 seconds faster than males ran in the Pilgrim Stakes.

Trainer Rusty Arnold said he would consider running Fircroft back in the $200,000 Demoiselle on Nov. 30.

* One Colony ($40.40), the longest shot on the board in the five-horse field, rallied from last to wear down Celtic Memories by a head in the $82,950 Pilgrim, also moved to nine furlongs on dirt after originally being scheduled for the turf.

Trainer Mark Hennig said One Colony would most likely start next in the Remsen on Nov. 30.