Pretty Jenny liable to turn the tables

CHICAGO - When Trout River Red scored an upset last month in an Illinois-bred sprint stakes at Hawthorne, her trainer, Kelly Ackerman, thought she might have beaten the two favorites in the race, Pretty Jenny and Bluesbdancing, under any conditions that day. Truth be told, neither Pretty Jenny nor Bluesbdancing ran her race, and the tables could turn in the Fit for a Queen Stakes on Saturday at Arlington.

In fact, all three of these Illinois-breds are up against open company in a race that's pretty deep for a $45,000 overnight stakes. The nine-horse field also includes Lady Belsara, a winner in 3 of her 5 career starts - all on Polytrack - and the rare horse to score a wire-to-wire victory this spring at Keeneland. Also in the 6 1/2-furlong Fit for a Queen is Dimple Pinch, who won her last two starts at the Oaklawn meet in fine fashion, but has no prior racing experience on a synthetic track.

Trout River Red typically had played second - or third - fiddle to Pretty Jenny and Bluesbdancing the last couple of years, but when both horses were off their best game in the April 28 Powerless Stakes, Trout River Red took advantage, scoring a 2 1/4-length win. Bluesbdancing checked in ninth, while Pretty Jenny, who won the 2006 edition of the Fit for a Queen, was fourth in her first start of 2007.

"I thought she was ready to win - obviously I was wrong," said trainer Christine Janks.

Pretty Jenny has won at Hawthorne in the past, but didn't ever seem comfortable in her 2007 debut.

"I could tell we were in trouble going up the backside, and she wasn't aggressive like she is," said Janks.

Now, Pretty Jenny makes her first start on Polytrack, and based on the way she has trained over the surface, plus prior solid form on turf, Janks said she believes the 5-year-old mare will be fine on the new Arlington track.

"I actually think she'll like it better," Janks said. "She has some rundown issues behind, and it should help with that."

Lady Belsara won a second-level allowance by almost two lengths on April 19 at Keeneland. But her chances might hinge on Countess Scala, who also showed 45-second-and-change early speed at Keeneland, and could push Lady Belsara in a taxing early duel.