Queen Martha sticks to dirt for Molly Pitcher

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Queen Martha, a game runner-up to defending Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the Lady’s Secret Stakes, will make a third straight start at Monmouth Park on Aug. 29 in the Grade 2, $300,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes for fillies and mares.

In her first start on dirt, Queen Martha set the pace in the Lady’s Secret and continued strongly to the wire, beaten only three lengths.

A lightly raced 4-year-old trained by Patrick Biancone, Queen Martha will remain on the main track for the foreseeable future.

“She doesn’t have the turn of foot for the turf,” Biancone said. “She’s a galloper.”

The Molly Pitcher will be only her eighth start.

After running five times in England, Queen Martha came to Biancone last December. She has run twice at meet, finishing second on the turf before the eye-opening effort on the main track to Rachel Alexandra.

Queen Martha turned in a bullet work on Wednesday, five furlongs in 1:01.20.

“She worked well,” Biancone said. “She is in good form. She is still improving. If she stays healthy and fresh, she’ll have a great year next season.”

Violon Sacre headed to Woodbine

Violon Sacre will step up to the Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile on Sept. 19 following his near-miss here in the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes on the Haskell Day undercard.

A 5-year-old, Violon Sacre won seven races in France before coming to Biancone this season. The winner of the Battlefield Stakes, Violon Sacre was extremely rank in the early stages of the Oceanport, taking a long time to settle for jockey Jose Lezcano.

He was full of run in lane, launching a bold bid that Get Serious fended off by a neck.

While Get Serious is on target for the Grade 2 Red Bank here on Labor Day weekend, Biancone feels Violon Sacre needs additional time.

“The Red Bank comes two weeks before the other race,” Biancone said. “He’s now 5 and we know how these old people feel. We can still play, but not every day. He will need that bit of time, and he should do very well there with a big kick like he has.”

Open stakes for ‘Partyallnight’

Joey P is on the shelf with a hoof injury. Who’s the Cowboy has tumbled down the claiming ranks. With time and injuries catching up with the veterans of the New Jersey-bred sprinting wars, the door is open for a fresh face such as Partyallnightlong to emerge.

A 3-year-old trained by Eddie Broome, Partyallnightlong has won 4 of 6 starts.

After running fourth to Discreetly Mine in the Grade 3 Jersey Shore Stakes, Partyallnightlong posted a pair of dominant wins in a second-level allowance for statebreds and a first-level allowance against open company. His Beyer Speed Figures are on the rise, hitting 99 on Aug. 14 in the open allowance victory.

“He won for fun,” Broome said. “He was eased through the lane. If the jock had let him run, the number would be even stronger.”

Broome has mapped out an ambitious schedule with a pair of 3-year-old open stakes: the $100,000 Gilded Time turf sprint here on Labor Day followed by the $250,000 Gallant Bob Handicap at Philadelphia Park on Oct. 9.

Lopez will miss last eight days

Paco Lopez, bidding for his first Monmouth riding title, will be the leader in the clubhouse during the final two weeks of the Elite Meet that concludes on Labor Day. Starting Sunday, Lopez will be suspended the final eight days of the meet for multiple riding violations. He entered Friday’s card with a 58-47 lead over Elvis Trujillo and Joe Bravo.