Stiffed ready to go in Monday's Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth

Stiffed looks to avenge her fourth place finish in last year’s $100,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes when she enters the starting gate with eight other rivals for this year’s edition on Monday, going a mile and seventy yards on the main track, Monmouth Park’s Fourth of July feature.

“She’s been training well and is ready to go for Monday,” said trainer John Mazza, who conditions the horse for Holly Crest Farm. “She always seems to run better when fresh.”

The 5-year-old mare by Stephen Got Even out of the Silver Deputy mare High Noon Nellie exits a second place finish in a $62,000 allowance optional claiming event at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 21, where she had to go four wide on the far turn and still managed to finish just two lengths behind winner Penwith.

Last year at Monmouth Park, Stiffed hit the board in three of her four stakes appearances including wins in the Monmouth Beach and Jersey Girl and a second place finish in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher. In her nine career starts over the Monmouth dirt, Stiffed has posted a 4-1-1 record.

Coming off a 5 ½ month layoff, Stiffed has worked four times over the Monmouth main track. The latest came on June 25 when she went five furlongs in 1:02 3/5.

“The more speed, the better it is for her,” said Mazza when asked about her running style. “She just needs to save ground and find some racing room.”

Stiffed is one of four stakes winners headlining the field, which includes Grade 1 winner Angela Renee, for trainer Chad Brown, who took the 2014 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita and multiple graded stakes placed Eskenformoney, for Todd Pletcher, who ran second in both last year’s Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks and Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks.

Love Came to Town, the 2015 New Jersey Breeders Association Champion 3-year-old filly, grabbed her lone stakes win in January when she took the Nellie Morse Stakes at Laurel by five and a half lengths.

Jonathan Gonzales will ride Stiffed for the first time in her career on Monday.

The Lady’s Secret is set for race 8 on Monday’s 9-race card. Gates open at 11:30 a.m., with first post scheduled for 12:50 p.m.

SPECIAL MONDAY RACING CARD FOR FOURTH OF JULY AT MONMOUTH
 

There will be a special 9-race card on Monday, July 4, with the spotlight falling on the fillies & mares in the $100,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes.

Also on Independence Day, patrons can enjoy Family Fun Day featuring pony rides, face painters and bounce house, along with live music “On the Green.”

Gates will open at 11:30 a.m. Monday, with first post scheduled for 12:50 p.m.

Source: Monmouth Park