Inconclusive Aims for Pucker Up Start

Richard Scherer trainee Inconclusive, runner up in the Grade II Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park in April, is aiming for a start in the Grade III Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington International Racecourse on Aug. 13. Owned by Carolyn Friedberg and Jeff Larson, the 3-year-old filly by Include finished second by a neck in the TaWee Stakes at Indiana Grand on July 20, but was promoted to first when the winner, Nawlins Kitty, was demoted by stewards for an incident in the stretch.

“[Inconclusive] got a great trip,” Scherer commented. “Fortunately for me, the winner had a bad trip I guess you could say. We are going to have to run against her again. Hopefully the 1 1/8 miles makes a difference. We’re at our home track, so maybe not having to ship will help us as well.”

In the one-mile TaWee, Inconclusive broke at the rear of the field, making up ground going into the turn and going head to head with the leaders entering the stretch. The filly showed a strong turn of foot in the final furlong but Nawlins Kitty was able to stay one step ahead of her until the wire.

“It would be the first time she’s had to run [at 1 1/8 miles],” Scherer said. “She’s been compromised in all these 7½ [furlong races] at the Fair Grounds. So 1 1/8 miles is something we’ve been waiting for.”

In the Bourbonette Oaks, run over the Polytrack but also at a mile, Inconclusive sat last early while the pacemakers breezed through the first half-mile in 47 seconds flat. The filly made up ground while running wide leaving the backstretch, went outside of the field on the turn and ran on late for second.

“She’s run consistently. She ran five times last year because she started in July, and she’s run seven times this year, so she’s been running about once a month. She’s well-traveled; she’s been to nine different tracks. It will be nice to stay home.”

Source: Arlington Park