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.