One filly looks made for a mile

AUBURN, Wash. - In an apparent attempt to get fans in the mood for next month's Grade 3 Longacres Mile, Paul Ryneveld, the director of racing at Emerald Downs, has carded six races at one mile, including the feature, on Thursday's eight-race program.

The feature, which will go as the fourth race, will match six 3-year-old fillies eligible to be claimed for $15,000.

Though contention runs deep in the small field, fans will have to take a long look at Maid in Monroe. Maid in Monroe, a daughter of Gilded Time from the barn of trainer Craig Roberts, will be shooting for her third straight score at the mile distance. She graduated on the maiden $6,250 level by just a head on May 31 but came back to beat $7,500 winners by more than three lengths when last seen on June 19. Though she will be doubling the asking price on Thursday, Maid in Monroe enters the fray with the highest last-race Beyer Speed Figure in the field, a 58.

Maid in Monroe might get her stiffest opposition from Marquetryinmotion, who won a one-mile maiden race at Turf Paradise by a resounding 17 1/2 lengths in March. Marquetryinmotion finished second and seventh against allowance sprinters in her first two races at this meeting, then ran fourth against $20,000 claimers when stretched out to a mile last time out on June 27. She raced wide around both turns in that race and should get a better trip on Thursday, when she will break from post 2.

Also dangerous is Winning Weave, who comes off a smart win over $10,000 company when going a mile on June 24.