Trainer Mike Dini isn’t sure what Summer’s Comin got out of her seasonal debut at Tampa Bay Downs on April 12 because of an awkward start, but he is certain that the nearly four months off she had prior to that race were a huge benefit to the 4-year-old filly.

Able to sit a stalking three-wide trip, and closer to the early pace than she usually is, Summer’s Comin roared past dueling leaders Bel Pensiero and Bingo’s Birkin coming out of the final turn and cruised to a 4¼-length victory in Saturday’s $90,100 Spruce Fir Handicap for Jersey-breds at Monmouth Park.

It marked the first stakes win in 20 career starts for the daughter of Summer Front.

“At Tampa in her last start she got eliminated early,” said Dini, who also owns Summer’s Comin. “I have to be honest, I did not expect her to be as close as she was. Since I turned her out (from December to early April) she has gotten bigger and stronger. She was only a 3-year-old last year and she was very green and sometimes got intimidated. So she had a lot of room to grow and mature.

“My filly just needed that vacation to get freshened up and mature a little bit.”

The winning time for the six furlongs was 1:10.34.

Sent off at 16-1 in the field of nine fillies and mares, 3 and up, Summer’s Comin and jockey Sonny Leon were able to bide their time as race favorite Bel Pensiero and Bingo’s Birkin dueled through early fractions of :22.14 and :45.16 to the half. Leon had Summer’s Comin just off their flanks wide and in third.

Both Bel Pensiero (fifth) and Bingo’s Birkin (seventh) faded as Summer’s Comin staged her rally through the stretch.

“I think I had a perfect trip,” said Leon, who is riding full-time at Monmouth Park for the first time. “I got her clear early, I got her to settled down and I stayed patient. I made my move on the turn to win the race. She broke sharp and was right there. She was right behind them at the perfect time.”

Long shot Kate’s Cuban Kiss rallied for second, three-quarters of a length behind Mia’s Crusade.

The $2 exacta returned $331.00.

Summer’s Comin tried Jersey-bred company twice last year, both times in grass races, but failed to hit the board. The victory was the fifth of her career.