Pretty Imposing happy to be home

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - It's home, sweet New Jersey home, for Pretty Imposing in the $55,000 Witches' Brew Stakes, the Halloween feature on Tuesday afternoon at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

The Witches' Brew for fillies and mares going five furlongs on the turf headlines the seven-race card that starts at 1:10 p.m.

The Grade 3 Floral Park Handicap at Belmont Park last time out, on Sept. 16, was an unpleasant experience for Pretty Imposing and trainer Tony Wilson. The 6-year-old gray mare pressed a very fast pace in a solid field of graded stakes winners before fading to eighth. To add insult to injured pride, Pretty Imposing was placed on the vet's list, which meant she could not compete until she had a satisfactory workout before a state veterinarian.

"They said she came back a little crabby," Wilson said. "She didn't need a truck [horse ambulance] or anything. She went home to Monmouth Park and she walked fine. They just didn't know the horse and the fact that she doesn't switch leads. We got her right off the list."

Pretty Imposing turned in a bullet work, three furlongs in 35.40 seconds, at Monmouth on Oct. 4, in her first drill since the Floral Park.

She should be very solid in this spot against eight rivals. The competition level isn't as high as in the Floral Park, and Pretty Imposing owns very solid stakes credentials. She was a dominant winner of a pair of off-the-turf sprint stakes over the summer at Monmouth, taking the Klassy Briefcase by 11 lengths in the mud and the Incredible Revenge by 5 3/4 lengths in the slop.

Wilson is looking forward to this spot, on either surface.

"She's ready for this," said Wilson. "The distance is fine. If it comes off, I'm ready for that, too."

Pretty Imposing reunites with Alan Garcia, who rode her in the Monmouth stakes victories.

While Pretty Imposing has had a solid break since her last race, Catessa wheels right back on short rest for trainer Mark Shuman. She got up in the final strides at the Big M to capture a turf sprint for $30,000 claimers on Thursday night.

Big City Danse owns the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, an 84, in a neck defeat in a similar stakes, the Phoenix at the Meadowlands on Oct. 6.

Trainer Greg Sacco sends out an entry of Final Afternoon and Blissful Ignorance.

Completing the field are Memorable Night, Beautiful East, Queen Amira, and Daisy for Rubiano.