News & Barn notes

STEPHENS HAS PAIR ENTERED IN SATURDAY’S COLLEEN STAKES

August 03, 2017

2013 SSC 3 300x225

            Trainer John Stephens has a pair of two-year-old fillies, City Success and Brexit Revenge, entered for their first try in stakes action when they take on seven others in Saturday’s $60,000 Colleen Stakes going five and a half furlongs.

            Both of Stephens entries come out of the same race with Brexit Revenge pulling off the 14/1 upset in her debut on July 15 going five furlongs on the main track while City Success had to steady at the start and finished fifth.

            “I’m leaning towards just running City Success here on Saturday,” said Stephens. “Brexit Revenge has more of a smaller build and I think the dirt may suit her better. She’s a grinder that never quits. I think that City Success will like turf with her pedigree and I think she will want to go farther eventually. I think this is a good spot to get a race into her on the grass.”

            City Success’ sire City Zip has produced a solid list of turf runners including Catch A Glimpse, who took the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. He also sired Monmouth turf legend Get Serious, who won eight graded stakes races in Oceanport including three straight editions of the Grade 3 Red Bank.

            Both fillies worked at Monmouth on July 26 going four furlongs over a fast main track, with City Success going the distance in :48 4/5, sixth fastest of the 39 that day, while Brexit Revenge breezed the half-mile in :49 4/5. Jose Ferrer will be aboard City Success as she breaks from gate four on Saturday.

            Four other starters are coming into the race breaking their maiden last time out including Kelly Breen’s Little Dipper, who ran away from the field to score a six and a quarter length victory, and Beaux Arts for Russell Cash, who went up to Saratoga and took a five and a half furlong sprint gate-to-wire in her first try on the grass.

            The Colleen will run as race 10 on Saturday’s 11-race card. Gates open at 11:30 with first post scheduled at 12:50 p.m.