Unbeaten Aoife's Magic tries two turns in co-featured Miss Behaviour Stakes

Aoife’s Magic has come a long way for trainer David Dotolo.

“When I first got her from Florida, she spooked and got loose,” Dotolo said after the filly dominated the restricted Imply Stakes on the Pennsylvania Derby undercard. “She was running through the barn and slid on all four of her legs. Five weeks we had to walk her until we healed everything up.”

At Parx Racing on Wednesday, unbeaten Aoife’s Magic stretches out around two turns for the first time in the $200,000 Miss Behaviour at a mile and 70 yards.

The Miss Behaviour, for Pennsylvania-bred and -sired 2-year-old fillies, is the co-feature with the $200,000 Wait for It for similarly restricted juveniles, also at a mile and 70 yards.

Aoife’s Magic has won her three sprints by a combined 19 1/4 lengths, and Dotolo believes the filly has what it takes to succeed going longer.

“She has the breeding on top and the bottom to be able to do it,” Dotolo said.

Aoife’s Magic is a daughter of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones out of a mare by Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer.

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Dotolo believes that Aoife’s Magic’s ability to relax in the early part of her races will help her navigate two turns. The filly exits a pace-pressing victory against open first-level allowance rivals Nov. 15, a race in which she failed to change leads.

“The strange thing is that in the morning, there’s no problem. She switches back and forth,” Dotolo continued. “I don’t know if it’s a shock when they turn for home, but none of her races, she just hasn’t come off that left lead down the stretch.”

Flamingo Way looks like a strong contender for trainer Bobbi Anne Hawthorne. The full sister to multiple stakes-winning sprinter Gordian Knot improved on her runner-up debut effort with a game pacesetting victory against open maiden special weight rivals Nov. 22. She looks like a major part of the pace picture under jockey Andy Hernandez.

Noisy On the Bay, second in the Imply on debut for trainer Edward Coletti Jr., is still a maiden after three starts, but she boasts valuable two-turn experience, having placed in an open maiden on Nov. 21.

Trainer Jacinto Solis claimed Merrychill, a full sister to stakes winner Winning Time, for $30,000 out of a fourth-place debut effort. Solis upset last month’s Pennsylvania Nursery at 23-1 with newly claimed Capo.

Betsy Is the Gal, Maria Says So, Mary’s Reward, Lucky Opportunity, and Namora complete the field.

Wait for It Stakes

Notice of Action became trainer Hawthorne’s first stakes winner when the Hoppertunity colt captured the Prince Lucky Stakes over sloppy going Sept. 23.

Undefeated in his first three starts, Notice of Action hopes to rebound in the Wait for It Stakes after a third-place finish in the Pennsylvania Nursery on Nov. 28. He raced in between horses on the backstretch, was stuck in a tight rail pocket, then only finished evenly while racing on his wrong lead. Hawthorne also entered four-race maiden Standpoint.

Trainer Butch Reid sends out two contenders. Uncle Heavy was a determined debut winner against open maidens on Oct. 23, then suffered a tough trip when the beaten favorite in the Pennsylvania Nursery. Uncle Heavy missed the break badly after jumping from the inside post, raced wide leaving the backstretch, and never threatened.

“He was always a good gate horse,” Reid said. “He shocked me as much as everyone else. We’ve schooled him since then, and he’s never showed it again.

Reid is excited to try Uncle Heavy around two turns. “He seems like he wants to run all day. He’s got a nice big stride on him.”

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Reid also saddles Carcharoth, a maiden after two starts but a full brother to multiple stakes winner Beren out of millionaire Silmaril.

Trainer Larry Rivelli has two entrants. Blameitonmymomma was a gate-to-wire debut winner over Tapeta on Oct. 24 at Presque Isle and should show speed from the rail. Neon Deion won at Presque Isle before finishing second to a runaway winner in a conditioned claimer at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Socially Awkward graduated around two turns at Penn National earlier in the month and might attempt to control the pace once again.

Ridley Park, Love Shaq, Zona de Amigos, and Addyson’s Dream also entered.

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