Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Friday, August 18, 2017

By John Heims —-

TRICKY ESCAPE REVISITS MONMOUTH TURF IN VIOLET

Tricky Escape returns to graded stakes action in her second try over the Monmouth Park turf against eight fillies and mares in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Violet Stakes, going a mile and an eighth.
The 4-year-old filly by Hat Trick comes out of a second place finish against allowance company in an off-the-turf event at Delaware Park on July 29 where she sat just off the early leader, but couldn’t close in time, coming up a length and a half short.
This will mark her third try in a Grade 3 event. Her first came at Monmouth Park in the Eatontown Stakes on June 3 where she finished fourth at 84-1 behind Grade 1 placed Grand Jete before another fourth place finish in the Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park on July 8. It’s her only two races where she has finished off-the-board in her 10 career starts.
“She really hasn’t run a bad race in her career,” said trainer Lynn Ashby. “She ran really well in the Eatontown against a really good horse over the course. I love the post draw because we can sit in just behind horses and Chris (DeCarlo) is a fantastic rider so hopefully there is enough speed in the race to run into. We are quite happy with how she’s been doing.”
The daughter of the Petionville mare Island Escape made her turf debut a winning one for her most recent victory where sat last going into the first turn before storming home late to beat allowance foes by a length at Laurel Park.
Owned by Jon A. Marshall, Tricky Escape has worked once to prepare for the Violet. That work came on Aug. 12 when she went four furlongs in :48 at the Middletown Training Center in Delaware.
Tricky Escape will have to beat two fillies that have proven themselves against stakes company. Brendan Walsh will send out Beauly, who won the Indiana General Assembly Distaff at Indiana Grand last time out, and Michael Maker trainee Gianna’s Dream, who took home last year’s Oklahoma Classics Distaff Turf at Remington Park.
The Violet will run as race 11 on Saturday’s 12-race card. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. with first post scheduled for 12:50 p.m.

TU SELLO LATINO FEST ARRIVES AT MONMOUTH PARK THIS WEEKEND

Monmouth Park will play host to the 7th annual Tu Sello Latino Fest this Sunday August 20, coupled by an after-the-races concert.
The Tu Sello Latino Fest will highlight many of the traditional dances, food, arts & crafts and international artists of the many Latino cultures in the United States with activities all day long for the entire family.
Appearances and performances from Mexican actor, comedian and singer Luis Manuel Avila, actor and singer Luis Gatica and singer Rossina Silva will take place at the concert after the day’s live racing action.
Admission is $5, Seniors $3 and Kids ages 12 and under admitted free. Gates will open at 11:30 a.m. with first race scheduled for 12:50 p.m.