Rain would help Consort Music

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Mark Hennig has two wishes for Consort Music heading into Saturday night's $50,000 Long Look Stakes at The Meadowlands.

"She could use a little pace and a little mud," the trainer said.

Consort Music might get both in the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares. The presence of Pocus Hocus should insure an honest pace, and the weather forecast calls for weekend showers.

A wet track clearly enhances Consort Music's chances. She has a 3-1-1 record in five off track starts, and won her most recent start at Monmouth Park, an allowance race in early September, in the slop.

"She definitely likes it wet," Hennig said. "She's been consistent all year on fast tracks, but a wet track does not hinder her at all."

The Long Look attracted six runners with most, like Consort Music, in search of a black-type victory.

Consort Music ran third in her only stakes start this season, the Lady's Secret Stakes on the Haskell Invitational undercard at Monmouth.

"We've been pretty content with her season," Hennig said. "She's been knocking at the door, and we want to give her a shot at winning one of these stakes."

The Long Look drew a competitive field of runners who, for the most part, qualify for non-winners-of-four other-than allowance conditions.

Both Consort Music and Pocus Hocus fit that category. Trained by James Jerkens, Pocus Hocus scored an allowance win at Belmont Park in her last start. In contrast to Consort Music, who prefers to rally off the pace, Pocus Hocus needs to lead to be effective. She did not break sharply in her one New Jersey start this season - the Monmouth Beach Stakes at Monmouth - and wound up a 13-length loser.

The Long Look attracted strong interest from New York-based trainers. In addition to Hennig (who maintains a New Jersey division) and Jerkens, Shug McGaughey, Frank Alexander, and Bill Mott will be represented.

McGaughey sends over Arabis, winner of the Justakiss Stakes at Delaware Park in her last start. Arabis has won 2 of her last 3 races.

Alexander has the Argentine-bred mare Artist Johanna, who has captured 1 of her 3 starts in the United States.

Mott, who enjoyed a very successful stakes season at Monmouth, will run Saintly Action, who has posted consecutive allowance wins at Saratoga and Monmouth.

Megan's Halo is an intriguing newcomer who already owns a stakes credit. She has won five in a row at Suffolk Downs for trainer-owner Charles Assimakopoulos.

The 3-year-old Megan's Halo, who last ran in the Highland Happening Stakes on Aug. 9., will be facing older horses for the first time Drexel Monorail, runner-up in the Van Buren Handicap at Philadelphia Park in her last race, completes the field.