Seven return for Queen Lib

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The water-logged Meadowlands Racetrack hopes to resume racing Friday night with the $55,000 Queen Lib Handicap the featured event.

The track has not run a complete card since last Friday. Persistent rains hit the New York metropolitan area over the weekend and continued into Wednesday, creating uneven patches in the racing surface. The track ran only one race Saturday night and three Tuesday afternoon before canceling the Wednesday and Thursday night cards.

The Grade 3, $150,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes, originally slated for Friday, has been rescheduled for Oct. 22. That still left the race office four stakes for Friday: The Queen Lib and the $60,000 Ready Jet Go Stakes were carried over from last Saturday. The $50,000 Comet Stakes for 2-year-olds and the $55,000 Paterson Stakes for 3-year-olds on the turf were already on the Friday stakes schedule.

Of the four, only the Queen Lib filled, as the same seven horses entered last week returned for this spot.

Owner Gerry Sleeter holds a strong Queen Lib hand with the entry of Summer Sting and Pickin Laurel in the race for New Jersey-bred fillies and mares at six furlongs.

will try to even the score with Totally Precious on Friday. In her stakes debut in Monmouth's Eleven North Handicap on Sept. 17, Summer Sting opened a clear lead turning for home, but Totally Precious launched a determined rally to deny Summer Sting the victory.

"She opened up too quick, too soon," Sleeter said. "This time, I'd like to see her eased along so she can finish up with a little more. I think the jockey was a little anxious."

Eddie King, Jr. gets the return call on Summer Sting.

Entrymate Pickin Laurel got up by a head to win a statebred allowance last time out.

will be ridden by Aaron Gryder and carries high weight of 120 pounds, up two pounds following the Eleven North victory. Totally Precious was second, beaten three-quarters of a length, in last year's Queen Lib, when the race was run at a mile and 70 yards.

shortens up for this race after running in two routes, including a win in Monmouth's Girl Powder Handicap. She has a record of 3-4-0 in 7 starts at the distance, highlighted by last year's Big M win in the New Jersey Futurity.

Completing the field are Jenny Bean Girl, Eastern Gale, and Cigno D'Oro.