Owens well-stocked for John J. Reilly Handicap
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Eddie Owens Jr. didn’t offer any predictions ahead of the $75,000 John J. Reilly Handicap, but it’s hard to knock his chances. With a stout trio entered in the field of 10, the trainer should be in the mix at every stage of the six-furlong sprint for New Jersey-breds.
Speaking, the Reilly winner in each of the last three years, won the 2025 edition in gate-to-wire fashion and could be the pacesetter again Sunday. The 7-year-old gelding has not run since August, when he faded badly and finished well back in the $100,000 New Jersey Breeders Handicap. He will be going for his sixth statebred stakes victory.
“He’s a bad bleeder,” Owens said of his regression last summer. “You have to give him time when he bleeds, so I just gave him the winter off. He’s run his race every time. I can’t say much. All I do is put a saddle on him.”
When Speaking faltered last summer, his stablemate Great Navigator was quick to pick up the pieces, inheriting the early lead and kicking clear to win the New Jersey Breeders Handicap by 4 1/4 lengths. Owens then shipped the 6-year-old to Gulfstream for three ambitious tries over the winter, including the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector in December. He did not challenge in those starts, but he has never finished worse than fourth in statebred company and will return to Monmouth off a two-month break.
“The farms that they have [in New Jersey], they’re not winterized, so when they freeze up, you’re done, you can’t train,” Owens said. “We go down [to Florida] to run, but the races are tough for us. But it keeps them fit, so when we come back here, we’re ready to go most of the time.”
While Speaking and Great Navigator traded wins last summer, Boardwalk Jack rose through the ranks in three straight victories for Owens. After taking down statebred maidens and then allowance runners, he stepped into open company in September and drastically improved to win a first-level open-company allowance with a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
Owens said he wasn’t sure how the gelding would stack up to his older stablemates in his 4-year-old debut, but he’s eager to get him started after several encouraging workouts.
“I think he’s going to run very big,” Owens said. “I’m not going to say he’s going to beat the other two, but the way he’s been training, I wouldn’t be surprised if he won.”
With rain in the forecast Sunday, Owens said Great Navigator and Speaking could both benefit from a wet track. He wasn’t sure how Boardwalk Jack would handle it, but he doesn’t intend to scratch.
All three Owens trainees should be close to the early lead, with Great Navigator likeliest to rate. They won’t be alone out in front, however, as Cairo Surprise should be prominent and dangerous for trainer Cal Lynch.
In seven career starts, the 3-year-old has never finished worse than second, proving versatile between dirt and turf. Last month, the gelding entered a statebred allowance and kicked clear to win by 9 1/4 lengths with a 100 Beyer. That effort, an exclamation mark on a three-race winning streak, could make him the favorite in his second stakes attempt.
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