No plans yet for Nicole H after Garland of Roses victory

Trainer Mike Hushion would like to keep going with Nicole H, the authoritative winner of Saturday's Garland of Roses Stakes, but the options are less than ideal.

The New York Racing Association has not released its stakes schedule for 2011, but the Interborough is the traditional New Year's Day feature. The ungraded race, however, is likely to be worth only $65,000, and Hushion would like to find something that is more lucrative and prestigious than that.

Laurel Park traditionally hosts the Barbara Fritchie Handicap in February, but the future of Maryland racing is unsettled and no stakes schedule has been released yet for 2011 because there is no guarantee the track will be open. Plus, the Barbara Fritchie is seven furlongs.

"It wouldn't be my first choice," Hushion said of running Nicole H seven furlongs. "But I wouldn't be afraid of it. When you got a good, fit horse these days you got to go."

Nicole H ran six furlongs in 1:10.44 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 99 for the effort. That was the same number she earned winning a first-level allowance race at Belmont in September.

Meanwhile, Hushion reported that two of his stakes winners from last year's inner track season are back in his New York barn. Rodman, who won the Grade 3 Queens County last December but who has not run since, has been galloping for about a month and is nearing a breeze. Rereadthefootnotes, who has not won since winning the Hollie Hughes Handicap last Feb. 15, worked three furlongs in 37.55 seconds Sunday morning over Belmont's training track.

Rodman had several issues that sidelined him including a bad foot injury and then a case of colic. Rereadthefootnotes suffered an ankle injury in the spring.