New York-bred fillies and mares compete in Sunday’s Bay Ridge

By Brian Bohl —-

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Repole Stable’s Super Surprise will take aim at her fourth win in five starts as part of a field of eight in Sunday’s $100,000 Bay Ridge for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 1/16 miles on the inner dirt track at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Super Surprise will look to stretch out in distance after rallying to finish third in the New York Stallion Series Black Type on November 13. She had won her three previous starts, including a personal-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure in capturing the Fleet Indian on August 26 at Saratoga Race Course at 1 1/8 miles.

Super Surprise – 3-1-2 in seven career starts – drew post 5. Jose Ortiz will be the irons.

“Everything’s been going according to plan,” Pletcher said. “I think she’ll be able to handle it [the inner track]. She’s also handled two turns in the past well, so hopefully that’ll be the case on the inner as well.”

Mecke’s Madalyn will be fresh for her first start since her runner-up effort in the Empire Distaff on October 22 at Belmont Park. The Corby Caiazzo-trained 3-year-old registered a career-best 81 Beyer Speed Figure and has a pair of second-place finishes in three stakes starts in 2016, losing by a head to Super Allison in the New York Oaks on July 23 at Finger Lakes.

Aaron Gryder has the mount from post 2.

Rudy Rodriguez will saddle a pair of entries in Jules N Rome and Literata, with the former finishing behind Mecke’s Madalyn for third in the Empire Distaff. Jules N Rome, the winner of the Saratoga Dew on August 15, has earned more than $400,000 with a 7-5-2 record in 19 career starts. Jockey Junior Alvarado will exit from the outside.

Literata, who like her stablemate is owned by Michael Dubb, finished fourth in the Empire Distaff, which was a return to stakes company after winning an allowance race on September 23 at Belmont Park. The 5-year-old, who made 22 starts before finishing third in her stakes debut in the Critical Eye on May 30, will be making her fourth career stakes start. Angel Arroyo will break from the rail.

“They both like to compete and they like the inner track, so they should be solid,” Rodriguez said. “If they run as good as they’ve been training, it should be fine. I think they’ll be good at a mile-and-a-sixteenth, especially Jules N Rome, who is more comfortable at that distance. Literata always runs a good race.”

Isabelle, for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, will seek her first win since the 2015 Broadway at the Big A. The 5-year-old bay mare ran fifth in the Empire Distaff last out, coming off a runner-up effort in the Saratoga Dew. Kendrick Carmouche is set to ride from post 3.

First Service will make her stakes debut for trainer Chad Brown out of post 7. The 4-year-old Ghostzapper chestnut filly is 3-2-1 in eight career starts and has finished in the money in each of her last five races, including a victory against allowance company on October 20 at Belmont Park. Manny Franco will have the call.

Kathy’s Humor, for trainer Rick Violette, will make her first stakes debut in 2016. Eric Cancel will ride from post 6.

Storied Lady, trained by John Hertler, will depart out of post 4 in tandem with Rajiv Maragh.