Rereadthefootnotes Heads Hollie Hughes

Rereadthefootnotes, unraced since winning the 2010 Hollie Hughes, will make his first start in more than a year when he seeks a repeat victory on Monday in the 2011 renewal of the $65,000 race for New York-breds.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin early in his career, Rereadthefootnotes was later transferred to the barn of Michael Hushion, for whom he won three of four starts, capped by a gate-to-wire, 3 ½-length triumph in last year’s six-furlong Hollie Hughes.

“He’s just a fast horse,” said Hushion. “He was fast when Kiaran had him, and he’s been fast with me. He had some wear-and-tear after the Hollie Hughes, so we decided to give him some time off after the race.”

Rereadthefootnotes, owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, returned to the worktab on December 5 and has breezed 11 times over the Belmont Park training track in preparation for his comeback effort.

“It’s going to be a tough race, but he should be plenty fit enough,” said Hushion. “I don’t know if he’ll fire in his first start off the layoff, but he’s healthy and fit.”

Rereadthefootnotes, the 9-5 morning-line favorite, will leave from post position 3 under Channing Hill.

The 2-1 morning-line second choice in the field is the Repole Stable coupled entry of Driven by Solar and Driven by Success.

Driven by Solar has made 10 career starts, with his last nine all having come over the inner track, and enters Monday’s race having won five of his last six races.

Third in an entry-level allowance at the Big A on December 4 in his first start off a nine-month layoff, Driven by Solar cleared that condition by 1 ¾ lengths on December 29 and prevailed by three-parts of a length when stepped up in class for a January 30 optional claimer.

“He has won five of his last six on the inner track, so he obviously likes the course,” said owner Mike Repole. “[Trainer] Todd [Pletcher] has done an amazing job with the horse. Last time he beat a really good field, and he’s going in the right direction.”

Fernando Jara will ride Driven by Solar from post position 2.

Driven by Success, who like his stablemate Driven by Solar is cross-entered in the General George at Laurel Park on Monday, won the restricted New York Stallion Stakes Thunder Rumble on November 14, finished second to fellow Repole Stable representative Calibrachoa in the Gravesend on December 18, and faded to fourth when stretched out in the Mr. International overnight stakes on January 26 last time out.

Michael Luzzi has the call aboard Driven by Success from post 5.

Smokin Hero, second in last year’s Hollie Hughes under jockey C.C. Lopez, was well-beaten in two starts at Monmouth Park when ridden by Joe Bravo and Carlos Marquez. Lopez regained the mount when Smokin Hero returned to Aqueduct in the fall, and the gelding responded by setting the pace and giving way late to finish second by a head. He enters Monday’s race off a neck victory in a conditioned $35,000 claiming race on January 13 and a third-place finish behind Driven by Solar on January 30.

“Smokin Hero had difficulty at the gate in both of his races at Monmouth, and Lopez has always done a good job with him,” said Chris Englehart, who trains the gelding for Brous Stable, R.D. Hubbard, and Wachtel Stable.

The gate troubles returned last time out, however, as Smokin Hero was bumped and cut off by his rival to the outside at the start.

“He had to check at the break and then had to race wide,” noted Englehart. “He ran a possible winning race. I think he’ll run his race on Monday and that he fits well with these horses.”

Lopez will once again ride Smokin Hero, who drew post 6 and was installed at 6-1 on the morning line.

Smokin Hero will face former stablemate Be Bullish, who was claimed by Rick Dutrow, Jr. for $75,000 out of a second-place finish in an optional claiming race on January 28. While racing under Englehart’s tutelage, Be Bullish won a New York-bred stakes race at Finger Lakes, finished second in the Easy N’ Dirty and Hudson for New York-breds at Belmont Park, fifth in the Mountaineer Mile Handicap at Mountaineer Racetrack, and was runner-up in a $60,000 claiming race at Aqueduct prior to being claimed.

Junior Alvarado will ride Be Bullish, the 5-2 morning-line third selection, from the rail.

Heavenly Blaze, a two-length victor of a New York-bred optional claimer on January 30, completes the field.

The field for the $65,000 Hollie Hughes: