The third time was indeed the charm for Riding Pretty in the Jersey Girl Handicap.

After finishing second and third, respectively, the past two years in the race, Riding Pretty showed her class in a field reduced to four runners following four scratches by cruising to a three-length win in Saturday’s 17^th edition of the Jersey Girl Handicap at Monmouth Park.

Ridden by Samuel Marin, Riding Pretty took advantage of a spacious opening along the rail coming out of the final turn and simply coasted by her three rivals.

The winning time for the mile over a turf course listed as firm was 1:37.61.

Among the four defections in the race for fillies and mares 3 and up was Mia’s Crusade, who was seeking a record seventh victory in Jersey-bred stakes company. Trainer Chuck Spina said a “minor issue” prompted him to scratch Mia’s Crusade.

That left Precious Avary as the lone speed and jockey Silvestre Gonzalez tried to take full advantage of that by having his mare on a loose lead through an opening quarter in :23.81 while reaching the half in :48.02.

Riding Pretty was in last then, with Marin guiding the 5-year-old mare to the rail as Summer’s Comin and Bel Pensiero ganged up on Precious Avary at the half-mile pole.

“In terms of the speed the four scratches changed the race a lot,” said winning trainer Eddie Owens, Jr. “I was worried that someone would get loose on the lead, which (Precious Avary) did, and I thought she would just walk around the track.

“But they put some pressure on her at the half-mile pole and that really helped us a lot. That’s when Samuel Marin was able to drop her inside. That made the race for us when they put that pressure on (Precious Avary) at the half-mile pole. But I still thought she would just walk around the track on the lead.”

From that slight challenge, Precious Avary quickly wilted and finished last.

Riding Pretty, owned and bred by Holly Crest Farm, was gathering momentum entering the final turn when an opening appeared inside. Marin shot right through it on the way to victory.

“Things definitely changed with the four scratches because we thought we were going to be just two or three lengths behind (Precious Avary) but I wound up having to take it back a little bit,” said Marin. “I know it seemed like we were too far back but I had a lot of power, and she just took off.”

The victory was the third in Jersey-bred stakes company for Riding Pretty, who won for the sixth time in 26 career starts. The daughter of Jack Milton paid $4.40 to win as the race favorite.

Summer’s Comin took the place spot, 1½ lengths ahead of Bel Pensiero.

“Riding Pretty was back in last (for almost six furlongs) but you can’t change her running style now,” said Owens. “That’s the way she runs. Samuel did a great job. He didn’t get her stuck outside. She was able to show she was the best horse. They left her enough room coming out of the final turn for her to just walk through an opening along the rail. That’s when she really took off.”