Tar Heel Mom can handle these foes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Though she is running back in less than three weeks, Tar Heel Mom looks extremely well spotted in Wednesday's $65,000 In Her Glory Stakes at Aqueduct.

The In Her Glory is run at six furlongs on dirt, conditions under which Tar Heel Mom has won the last two times she tried. The first of those races was in August at Saratoga, when she went gate to wire, won by 5 1/4 lengths, and covered the distance in 1:08.95. Most recently, Tar Heel Mom won the Seton Hall Stakes at the Meadowlands, dueling early with another rival before drawing clear to win by 4 1/2 lengths, running six furlongs in 1:08.96 over a sloppy track. That race was run on Oct. 24, just 18 days ago.

"That would be your concern," trainer Stanley Hough said of the quick turnaround. "But she came out of her last race good. It was a wet-fast racetrack that she liked - it didn't seem to take a whole lot out of her."

Last year, Tar Heel Mom won a race similar to Wednesday's, taking the Meadow Star Stakes by one length over a sloppy Aqueduct main track. There is a 50 percent chance of showers on Wednesday.

Jose Lezcano will ride Tar Heel Mom from post 2.

Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out the uncoupled entry of Distorted Passion and Awesome Ashley in the In Her Glory. Those females combined to win four stakes over Aqueduct's inner track last winter.

Distorted Passion has not run since finishing third to Seattle Smooth in the Grade 2 Bed o' Roses Handicap in April. Distorted Passion was entered in a stakes race at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2, but had to scratch when she developed a bad foot abscess, according to Pletcher. Distorted Passion has worked seven times since Sept. 21.

"We think she'll be ready to run as well as she's capable of running," said Pletcher, who has Rajiv Maragh to ride from post 3.

Awesome Ashley has not won since defeating Distorted Passion in the Feel the Beat Stakes over the inner track. She has run miserably in two starts on synthetic as well twice on dirt around two turns. Anna Napravnik, aboard for Awesome Ashley's last win, has the call.

Rock Candy, a two-time stakes winner at Tampa Bay earlier this year, returns from an eight-month layoff for trainer Michael Zwiesler. Camara Oculta and Thoroughly Holy are each coming off a win, while Honest to Betsy was second to the repeat winner Acronym last out.