C C's Pal Back Quickly for Garland of Roses

A field of five fillies will line up Saturday afternoon in the 19th running of the $65,000 Garland of Roses Handicap, the first stakes race over the inner track this season at Aqueduct Racetrack.

C C's Pal, most recently third in the Grade 2 Go for Wand Handicap November 25, comes back on short rest in the six-furlong Garland of Roses, which will be run as race 3 on the nine-race card, with a post time of 1:17 p.m. Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., the 4-year-old Alex's Pal filly is 2-2-1 from eight starts this year, including a victory in the Lighthouse Stakes at Monmouth Park in May and the Miss Golden Circle overnight stakes at Belmont Park on October 23.

Junior Alvarado will ride C C's Pal, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, under high weight of 121 pounds from the rail.

Making her stakes debut in the Garland of Roses is West Point Thoroughbreds' Cinco de Mayo Mio, most recently victorious in an optional claimer over a muddy track at Belmont Park on October 14. The 4-year-old daughter of El Corredor has made four starts this year, with a pair of seconds to go along with her win, and will be making her first start at the Big A for trainer Tom Albertrani.

Cornelio Velasquez, who on Sunday notched his 3,000th career victory, will ride Cinco de Mayo Mio from the rail. She is listed at 3-1 on the morning line.

Ms Vanenzza, another graded-stakes placed filly, bested Cinco de Mayo Mio in an optional claimer at Belmont on September 23. Trained by Juan Vasquez, the 4-year-old Successful Appeal miss was third in the Grade 3 Endine at Delaware Park in August and earlier this year was second to Hilda's Passion in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie and third behind Tar Heel Mom in the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl, both at Gulfstream Park.

Javier Santiago rides Ms Vanenzza, the 2-1 second choice on the morning line, from post position 4.

Isn't She Grand, a 2 ½-length starter allowance winner at Parx Racing on November 12, brings an impressive local track record to the Garland of Roses. The Rudy Rodriguez-trained daughter of Grand Reward won three of her first four starts of 2011 at the Big A and finished second in the other, all at six furlongs, to lift her Aqueduct record to 4-2-1 from 10 starts.

David Cohen rides the 4-year-old filly, 5-1 on the morning line, from the outside.

Completing the field is the lone 3-year-old, the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Afaaf, unplaced in three starts following a maiden victory at Belmont Park on May 22. She is 15-1 on the morning line from post position 3 under Channing Hill.

The field for the $65,000 Garland of Roses Handicap: