Servis sends out dangerous duo

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Jason Servis sends out in the $53,000 second-level allowance feature for New Jersey-breds Thursday at Monmouth Park.

Either one would be a prime contender in the six-furlong race. As an entry, the tandem looks very solid, especially when the jockeys are factored into the handicapping equation.

Leading rider Joe Bravo has the return call on West Long Branch. Chuck Lopez, third in the standings, will be back up on Skip Along Jet.

The only point of vulnerability with West Long Branch is a two-month layoff.

"He got sick on me after the last race," Servis said. "He ran a high temperature and we almost sent him to the hospital. We got him back in the groove and we look for him to run good. He's a pretty honest horse."

West Long Branch has two wins and three seconds since joining Servis's barn last summer. Servis was first tipped to the 4-year-old West Long Branch by his brother, John Servis.

"He was training Smarty Jones at Hot Springs and that horse was training out there," Servis said. "My brother picked up on the fact he was a Jersey-bred."

Servis arranged a private purchase on behalf of Michael Janis after the horse failed three straight times to win his maiden as a $25,000 claimer at Prairie Meadows.

Skip Along Jet, 3, is a homebred from the Double H Stable who has run against some salty company. In his final two starts over the winter at Aqueduct, Skip Along Jet faced Like Now, the upset winner of the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes, and Extra Bend, who missed by a head last Sunday at Monmouth in the Jersey Derby.

Skip Along Jet tangled with fellow 3-year-old Meadow Blue in his two Monmouth starts this summer. Meadow Blue, an emerging star in the Jersey-bred ranks, beat older horses here last Sunday in the Lincroft Handicap.

Skip Along Jet bested Meadow Blue going six furlongs but was no match in their most recent showdown at a mile and 70 yards.

"I guess that last race was my fault," Servis said. "I just wanted to satisfy myself that the horse did not want to go long."

Ismus is the only last-time out winner in the field. The 4-year-old beat first-level statebred allowance company for trainer Joe Zoppi while nicely upgrading his Beyer Speed Figure to a career-best 80.