Suffolk Downs: Out of Goodbyes tries to regain old form in Isadorable

Out of Goodbyes is out of excuses as last year’s top 3-year-old Massachusetts-bred filly tries to break a losing streak in Saturday’s $50,000 Isadorable Stakes at Suffolk Downs.

By winning both the Louise Kimball Stakes and the African Prince Stakes against males, Out of Goodbyes made it clear she was the best statebred in her class in 2010. In three starts this season, however, success has been harder to come by.

After more than six months resting last winter, Out of Goodbyes started breezing in March at Tampa Bay Downs but trainer Tom McCooey wasn’t able to find a race for her until June 4 in an optional claimer. She lost by more than 20 lengths while finishing last of six horses.

Out of Goodbyes didn’t fare well in her second trip back June 25, finishing sixth in the slop of a another roughly run optional claimer won by the race favorite Sleetcalling, who appeared poised to dominate the older female division until sustaining an injury in her subsequent start.

Out of Goodbyes got some class relief – but not much – when she dropped from open company to the statebred ranks in the Rise Jim Stakes two weeks ago, but having to face older males while running near the lead proved too difficult. She faded to sixth, but led the pack into the stretch and was only 2 1/2 lengths behind at the finish.

Her main rival since last summer has been Never Know, who finished best-of-the-rest behind Out of Goodbyes in her two stakes wins last year before winning the John Kirby Stakes once Out of Goodbyes was on the shelf. Never Know exits a close runner-up performance in an optional claimer July 18, earning the highest last-race Beyer Speed Figure in Saturday’s field, a 66.

Southoftheborder makes her fourth career start in the Isadorable after finishing second the last two runnings to the now-retired Ask Queenie. She finished fourth in the Rise Jim in her first start of the year.

Tuesdays added to schedule

Suffolk will begin racing Tuesdays and run four-days per week beginning Aug. 1. The days are necessary to comply with current Massachusetts law mandating tracks race 100 days to simulcast. A bill to change that to 80 days awaits the governor’s signature. Once that is signed, Suffolk is expected to drop Tuesdays from the schedule this fall.

◗ Jockey Jorge Vargas won a race Wednesday to move his career win total to 2,999. He has seven scheduled mounts Saturday.