Two tough 2's for Mazza

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Just like last summer, John Mazza holds a strong hand in the juvenile colt division. Mazza, whose Jersey-bred Waltz King won the Tyro Stakes last year, has two highly talented Jersey-breds in his barn: Capture the Silver, already a two-time winner here, and Hit the Trail, an unraced colt who has been burning up the track in the mornings. Both are owned by Holly Crest Farm.

Capture the Silver was impressive in winning the meet's second juvenile allowance Friday. As in his maiden win, he displayed fortitude by battling the entire stretch for the victory, and covered 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.31.

Mazza stated that he came out of the race in fine shape. "He acted like he'd never been on the track," he said. "He was a handful and a half at the detention barn and when he got back to his stall, he looked like he hadn't done a thing."

Mazza thinks that Capture the Silver would relish longer distances. "I'm looking at the Sapling here, of course, but that's at six furlongs. There are some stakes out of town at seven furlongs, which I think would fit him perfect. You might say I'm keeping my options open."

* A lot of hype has been circulating around Hit the Trail, a son of Cahill Road, on the backside. His workout on Sunday, covering four furlongs in 47.20 from the gate, was visually impressive. His debut could come in the next few weeks. "Everybody is asking me about him," Mazza said. "He has been working very well and I think he's a good horse."

Burning Roma to go in Haskell

Tony Dutrow, trainer of Burning Roma, confirmed Sunday that his colt would return for the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational Aug. 5. Burning Roma, winner of the Long Branch Stakes July 15, will carry 119 pounds for the Haskell. Burning Roma has navigated a successful 3-year-old campaign, winning four out of five starts this year. He has eight wins in 11 career starts, including being put up in the Grade 1 Futurity last year, when City Zip was disqualified for his interference with Burning Roma.

"He seemed to like the Monmouth track," Dutrow said. "We'll keep everything pretty much the same for the Haskell. Rick Wilson will ride him, and we'll ship in on race day."

* In other Haskell news, Songandaprayer, the lone locally stabled horse invited to the race, will skip it, according to trainer John Dowd. The Haskell had been a slight possibility, but Songandaprayer has not breezed since finishing third in the Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup July 4. He will be pointed for 3-year-old sprints at Saratoga.

* First post Wednesday is 12:55 p.m., and it will remain that way until the end of the meet, except the 12:30 p.m. post on Haskell Day. Wednesday's feature is a $41,000 mile-turf allowance for nonwinners-of three-other-than. Coastal Account, trained by Phil Oliver, heads the seven-horse field.