Millionreasonswhy, who returned from her
runner-up performance in last year's Grade 2 Adirondack with a win in
yesterday's Wide Country Stakes at Laurel Park, is slated to make her
next start in Aqueduct Racetrack's Grade 3 Comely on April 7, trainer
Ignacio Correas, IV confirmed Sunday.
In the
seven-furlong Wide Country, her first start since August,
Millionreasonswhy stalked the pace and wrested command from Dance to
Bristol in midstretch, going on to defeat that rival by 1 ¼ lengths. It
was an additional 12 ¾ lengths back to third-place finisher Officer's
Holiday.
"You can never say with 100 percent certainty,
but we'll probably run at Aqueduct," said Correas. "She came out of the
race great, and we're going to for it. We wanted to see her run a good
race. Not necessarily win, but run strong to the wire and try hard. She
had been training well and did what I expected."
Owned
by Sagamore Farm, Millionreasonswhy has made two starts in New York,
winning the Grade 2 Matron in July at Belmont Park and finishing second
by a neck to eventual Champion Two-Year-Old Filly My Miss Aurelia in the
Adirondack at Saratoga Race Course. Correas said the grueling
Adirondack, in which My Miss Aurelia gained the upper hand late
following a lengthy stretch battle, prompted him to give
Millionreasonswhy time off following the race.
"It was a
race that could break a horse's heart," said Correas. "She wasn't the
same filly after the race as she had been going into it, so we decided
to give her some time off. She came back the same horse."
Correas
said that if Millionreasonswhy performs well in the one-mile Comely,
the filly could go on to compete in the Grade 1, 1 1/8-mile Kentucky
Oaks.
"I thought we'd go seven furlongs to a mile and
then maybe the Kentucky Oaks," said Correas. "I don't think distance
will be an issue."