Justwhistledixie Seeks Turnaround in Distaff

An easy winner of the Grade 2 Davona Dale and Grade 2 Bonnie Miss at Gulfstream Park in the winter of 2009, Justwhistledixie closed her 3-year-old campaign with runner-up efforts in June’s Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park and November’s Grade 2 Top Flight Handicap here at Aqueduct. The Bill Mott trainee has raced twice this year, finishing fourth in both the Grade 2 El Encino over Santa Anita’s synthetic main track on January 17 and the Grade 3 Sabin back on conventional dirt at Gulfstream on February 27.

“She’s been a bit of a bit disappointment, but Bill has been happy with the way she has been working recently,” said Terry Finley, president of West Point Thoroughbreds, who owns Justwhistledixie in partnership with Lakland Farm. “We hope the change in scenery - going from Florida to New York - helps.”

Finley is encouraged by Justwhistledixie’s second-place finish behind Godolphin’s Sara Louise over this surface in the 2009 Top Flight.

“You try to do everything you can to put them in a spot where they have already proven themselves,” said Finley.

In Saturday’s seven-furlong event, Justwhistledixie will be reunited with jockey Jose Lezcano, who guided the daughter of Dixie Union in the Top Flight. Assigned highweight of 119 pounds, the dark bay will break from the outside post.

Hour Glass, a 4-year-old from the Todd Pletcher barn, enters this spot off a smart 1 ½-length victory in the restricted Wheel Turns over the inner track on March 21. Two starts back, she was denied by just a half-length when fourth as part of a six-horse blanket finish in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel Park on February 15.

“We were compromised by the pace in the Fritchie and by a speed-favoring track,” said Pletcher’s assistant, Jonathan Thomas. “They set two track records that day. If they ran that race a few more times, we would have won a time or two.”

Owned by Mill House, Hour Glass has been taking it easy since capturing the Wheel Turns.

“It was by design,” said Thomas of the decision to keep the 4-year-old off the worktab. “She’s certainly a fit filly as she has been racing all winter.”

If needed, Hour Glass can show early zip from post No. 4 under regular rider David Cohen and 116 pounds.

“She could be more tactical if she needs to be,” said Thomas. “We just think she’s best stalking the pace and coming with one run.”

Tar Heel Mom, conditioned by Stanley Hough, could improve her record over the Aqueduct main track to three wins from four starts. A four-length victress of the In Her Glory at the Big A in November, the 5-year-old has placed in graded stakes in her last three starts, including a second to Warbling in the Grade 2 Inside Information at Gulfstream on March 14 last time out. Leading rider Ramon Dominguez has the mount aboard Tar Heel Mom, who has been given a 117-pound impost and will leave from post No. 3 as the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

Peachtree Stable’s Matchless Orinda, heroine of the What a Summer at Belmont last June, also ships in from Florida for the Distaff. Trained by Marty Wolfson and ridden by John Velazquez, the 5-year-old cuts back in distance after leading in the stretch and giving way late to finish second in the one-mile Sabin. The chestnut will break from post No. 5 and has been assigned 116 pounds

Completing the field Strut the Canary and Thunders Dove, who drew posts No. 1 and 2, respectively. Strut the Canary invades from Laurel Park off a victory in a Philadelphia Park optional claimer on March 21, while Thunders Dove ships in from Palm Meadows after finishing third in the Inside Information. 

The field for the 56^th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Distaff Handicap: