Miss Marissa Carries Win Streak Into Comely Stakes
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Photo: Skip Dickstein 2020
Miss Marissa wins the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course
Cammarota Racing's Miss Marissa will carry a three-race winning streak—including her first stakes score last out in the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2)—into the $100,000 Comely Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct Racetrack Nov. 27.
Miss Marissa won just once in her first nine starts, culminating when trainer James Ryerson moved the He's Had Enough filly back to turf, where she ran fifth June 14 at Belmont Park.
After the off-the-board effort, Miss Marissa showed improved form returning to the main track. Ryerson credited the stretch out in distances, which paid immediate dividends when she notched a three-length victory going a mile and 70 yards July 11 at Monmouth Park and a 2 1/2-length score against optional claimers going 1 1/8 miles Aug. 13 at Saratoga Race Course.
Miss Marissa faced deeper waters in the Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico Race Course Oct. 3. Competing at the Comely distance, she tracked in second position through three-quarters of a mile, then took command before the stretch and edged Bonny South by a neck.
"We're very pleased with how she's training," Ryerson said. "We gave her a little blowout before this, and she's done well since the Black-Eyed Susan and we're looking forward to it.
"Early on, we thought she'd stretch out. She really likes the two-turn pace scenario. I think it's just getting that stretch out and the two turns, her efforts have been much better."
Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out Bass Stables' Thankful for her stakes debut after back-to-back wins. The American Pharoah daughter broke her maiden at third asking Aug. 20 at Saratoga before topping allowance company going a one-turn mile Sept. 27 at Belmont.
Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Robert LaPenta's Gale will also be making her stakes debut off consecutive wins. The Tonalist filly made her first two starts on turf, finishing second (moved up from third by stewards) in her debut July 30 at Laurel Park before an impressive 6 1/2-length victory on the same surface Oct. 22. Rain moved her last start off the Laurel turf to the main track, and she responded to the dirt with a 13 1/2-length win in a seven-horse field.
Trainer Jonathan Thomas said that effort warranted another opportunity on the main track.
"Visually, her last race was impressive, and it came back a strong number," Thomas said. "Any time you're beating horses off the turf in a state-bred allowance race, it's tough to know what to make of it. She acts like a quality filly, but this will be a big step up."
Mrs. Danvers, Project Whiskey, Makingcents, Ice Princess, Pure Rhythm, Toned Up, and My Sweet Wife round out the field.
Aqueduct Racetrack, Friday, November 27, 2020, Race 8Entries: Comely S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
Miss Marissa (KY)
Dylan Davis
124
James T. Ryerson
-
2
Toned Up (KY)
Romero Ramsay Maragh
118
Timothy A. Hills
-
3
Ice Princess (NY)
Junior Alvarado
122
Danny Gargan
-
4
My Sweet Wife (KY)
Eric Cancel
118
Jorge R. Abreu
-
5
Thankful (KY)
Kendrick Carmouche
118
Todd A. Pletcher
-
6
Mrs. Danvers (KY)
Jose Lezcano
118
Claude R. McGaughey III
-
7
Makingcents (NY)
Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.
122
Jeremiah C. Englehart
-
8
Gale (MD)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
Jonathan Thomas
-
9
Pure Rhythm (KY)
Nik Juarez
118
Michael Stidham
-
10
Project Whiskey (MD)
Christopher P. DeCarlo
124
Robert E. Reid, Jr.
-
