Navy Nurse, Worth the Worry seek repeats in Massachusetts-bred stakes

A pair of $75,000 sprints for seasoned Massachusetts-bred sprinters will highlight an 11-race Sunday card at Suffolk Downs, where the six-day 2016 meet opened Saturday.

Navy Nurse is back in East Boston to try for a repeat in the Isadorable, just as Worth the Worry has returned to defend his title in the Rise Jim. Both were 12-length winners of their respective races last September.

Navy Nurse, based in Maryland with Jay Bernardini, figures to face a stern challenge this time around in the form of Miss Wilby. In all, six fillies and mares are entered in the Isadorable (race 8).

Worth the Worry, based in upstate New York with Jonathan Buckley, is one of 11 older horses in the Rise Jim (race 10).

First post Sunday is 12:35 p.m. Eastern. The remaining dates at this abbreviated meet are Aug. 6-7 and Sept. 3-4.

KEY CONTENDERS (Isadorable)

Miss Wilby, by Imperialism

Last 3 Beyers: 62-69-80

◗ Trained by longtime New England mainstay Marcus Vitali, this filly dominated the 3-year-old statebred ranks last fall at Suffolk and would seem to have an edge in Beyer Speed Figures and recency over her main rival, Navy Nurse.

Navy Nurse, by Service Stripe

Last 3 Beyers: 47-56-55

◗ This 8-year-old Moseley family homebred is the morning-line favorite despite having raced just once since early December. She will be trying to repeat in this race off a well-spaced work pattern.

KEY CONTENDERS (Rise Jim)

Worth the Worry, by Hook and Ladder

Last 3 Beyers: 41-65-68

◗ Jose Baez will be aboard for the ninth straight time on a 6-year-old gelding who easily won all three older statebred stakes last fall at Suffolk and now has the benefit of two starts at his Finger Lakes base.

Grady, by Got the Last Laugh

Last 3 Beyers: 61-74-65

◗ This rail-drawn gelding soundly defeated Worth the Worry in a key May 7 matchup in Canandaigua, and now the playing field is a little more even with both having raced themselves into form.