Opportunity knocks in Just Jenda
The $75,000 Just Jenda Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on turf Sunday at Monmouth Park provides a chance for seven of the eight entered to gain a first stakes victory.
Souper Escape is the only entrant to have won a stakes, but that doesn’t make her a lock, because that victory came on the main track. Souper Escape, who races as a homebred for Live Oak Plantation and is trained by Mike Trombetta, finished 10th in the Hilltop Stakes in May on the Pimlico turf. She then captured the off-the-turf Christiana Stakes on June 19 at Delaware Park by three lengths. Alex Cintron will be aboard as Souper Escape looks for her third win in five starts this year.
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Ellyb comes off two thirds going 1 1/16 miles on the Monmouth turf for trainer Arnaud Delacour. The filly was beaten less than a length in the Boiling Springs Stakes in May, and by 1 3/4 lengths in the Open Mind Stakes on June 30. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 81 in both those efforts, which is tied for the top figure in the field.
Paco Lopez was aboard Ellyb for the first time in the Open Mind and remains in the irons Sunday. Delacour also will saddle Ionic, who has won 2 of 3 lifetime starts and comes off a wire-to-wire allowance victory on the Delaware turf in which she earned an 80 Beyer.
Sweet Sami D, who finished second in the Sorority Stakes at a mile on the Monmouth turf last September, won an optional-claiming race on the main track in June by 20 3/4 lengths. Most recently, she finished second in another optional claimer with an 81 Beyer.
Wrong Color is still a maiden after nine starts, but comes off a runner-up effort in the off-the-turf Crowd Pleaser Stakes at Parx Racing against Pennsylvania-breds.
Tasting the Stars has won both of her starts. Trained by Mike Stidham, she won her debut by 5 1/4 lengths at Fair Grounds and then took an optional-claiming race by four lengths there. She has not started since that outing in February.
Mercilla won an allowance race on the Pimlico turf before finishing fifth in the Christiana. Sweeter Than Wine, who owns only a maiden win, completes the field.