Colleen Goes to Say a Novena

Rick Shanley’s Say a Novena held off the late charge of Greatful Heir to post a neck victory in the $70,000 Colleen Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday.

Trained by Eddie Plesa Jr., Say a Novena covered the 5 ½ furlongs over a fast main track in 1:04 1/5 and returned $10.20, $4 and $2.60.  Greatful Heir, the 8-5 favorite in the field of seven 2-year-old fillies, completed the $36.40 exacta and paid $3 and $2.60.  It was another 3 ½ lengths back to Baffle Me, who returned $3.60 to show.

“She’s a very fast filly, but she’s not uncontrollably fast,” said winning jockey Mike Luzzi.  “She gallops out impressively as well because it’s the same as her running, which leads me to believe she wants to do more.  She’s willing to do more.”

The Colleen Stakes victory was the second in four starts for Say a Novena, a daughter of Songandaprayer from the Dynaformer mare Rabiadella.  She has now earned $101,250.