Toast of Mayfair, Mondor look to rebound

Everyone begins the year with a clean slate, which in the case of Toast of Mayfair and Mondor is a good thing, as each failed to live up to expectations in her final start of 2014.

The pair will meet in the New Year’s Day headliner at Laurel Park, a first-level, $40,000 optional-claiming sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

Toast of Mayfair came into the Dec. 6 Gin Talking Stakes off a five-length debut win for trainer Graham Motion. She prompted the pace in hand to the stretch of that race, then tired over the sloppy track to finish last at 3-1. She is capable of better.

Mondor finished third as the 7-5 favorite in a $50,000 starter race at Aqueduct last time out. She didn’t get away sharply, trailed early, and then had too much to do in the stretch and was beaten 1 1/4 lengths. Trained by Donald Barr, she also has room to improve.

Key contenders

Toast of Mayfair (Beyers: 30-56)

◗ Her good early speed and the inside post make her the filly to beat.

Mondor (Last 3 Beyers: 52-68-43)

◗ Finished second by a nose to Miss Bullistic in a restricted stakes at Parx Racing two starts back. Miss Bullistic is 3 for 7 and has since finished second in the Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship.

Sara Rocks (Last 3 Beyers: 47-37-42)

◗ Won the restricted Tri-State Futurity at Charles Town in November.

◗ Claimed by trainer Thomas Iannotti for $25,000 in her next start after the Tri-State Futurity, she was entered and scratched from last week’s Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship in favor of this easier spot.

Lindisfarne (Last 3 Beyers: 64-46-49)

◗ Debuts for Rudy Rodriguez after making her first three starts for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer at Golden Gate Fields and Santa Rosa.

◗ Rodriguez has given her four works over the inner track at Aqueduct for her East Coast debut.

◗ A Santa Rosa maiden winner, she finished third at Golden Gate in her last start under conditions similar to this race.

Pom Pom Pistol (51-55-49)

◗ The only three-time winner in the field, she beat Sara Rocks in a $25,000 claiming race two starts back. She finished second at this level in her most recent start.