Third of July seeks three in a row

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Amy Tarrant, who races as Hardacre Farm, is enjoying her finest season as a trainer at Monmouth Park.

Tarrant is 11 for 50 at the meet, with two of those wins coming from Third of July. A private purchase at the end of last year, Third of July bids for a third straight win Thursday in the $52,000 second-level allowance for New Jersey-breds going one mile.

Third of July, a 3-year-old gelding, is wheeling back on relatively short rest, having rallied from a 15-length deficit to nail a first-level victory on July 22 at 24-1.

"I am always a little reluctant to run horses this young back in two weeks time, but with New Jersey-breds, you have to make hay while the sun shines, and he's feeling dynamite," Tarrant said.

The turnaround was just a matter of maturity.

"It was just his age and his development," Tarrant said. "He was a baby last year and his trainer, Henry Carroll, gave him a nice foundation."

It is Tarrant's first experience with a New Jersey-bred. Most of her stable consists of well-bred horses with solid pedigrees like Kiss the Kid, who missed by only a neck on Sunday in the off-the-turf Oceanport Stakes.

"I wanted a New Jersey bred, and this was the nicest-looking one I saw," Tarrant said. "I trust my eye. I pick out all my horses myself at the yearling sales, at the 2-year-old sales. This has been a nice experience for me."

Navin Mangalee, aboard for the two victories, has the return call.

Last week was a chaotic one around Sharon Huston's barn as hosts to the superstar filly, Rachel Alexandra, the Haskell winner.

With things back to normal, it's back to business. And the Huston-trained Quepos has been all business this meet with two wins and a near-miss second.

He won his first two races of the season, getting his maiden win on the opening weekend before scoring the first-level allowance win on July 5. Both were sprints.

Quepos turned in a game effort last time at one mile and 70 yards, battling for the lead every step before surrendering by only a half-length.

Elvis Trujillo, the only rider the colt has known, will be aboard.

Defrerest of All, part of that pace battle with Quepos, settled for third, extending his in-the-money streak to three.

Red Planet, Max Hazard, King Bling, Undignified, and Brass Run complete the field.