Heart to Heart Hopes To Beat Red Bank Foes

A field of seven older horses are signed on for the $100,000 Red Bank Stakes (gr. IIIT) going one mile over the Monmouth Park turf course May 16. An additional three horses were entered for the main track only should the race come off the grass.

Heart to Heart owns the best recent form of these candidates. He ran off three consecutive stakes wins, including the grade III Jefferson Cup and grade III Commonwealth Turf before running fourth in the Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (gr. IIT) last December at Santa Anita Park. The Red Bank is his first outing of this season for Canada’s champion 3-year-old male for last season.

There is plenty of back class among the turf runners but considerably less current form. Slim Shadey has banked nearly $800,000 in his 43-race career but has just a $50,000 claiming victory to show for his efforts since last July, when he won the Elkwood Stakes over the Monmouth slop after the race was taken off the turf. In his most recent effort he ran fourth in the Elusive Quality Stakes at Belmont Park.

Winning Cause likewise is riding a losing streak, having dropped three decisions since winning the Cliff Hanger Stakes  (gr. IIIT) at Monmouth last August. He had a troubled start last out at Gulfstream Park in an allowance optional claiming test, getting bumped early and finishing seventh. Guys Reward won the Oceanport Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Monmouth last July but hasn’t fired in his five races since, all in stakes company. He too needs a form reversal.

Aztec Brave is coming off a front-running stakes win at Aqueduct and will likely join Heart to Heart up on the pace here. He has yet to try graded company in the U.S. but ran unplaced in a group III early in his career in his native France. Rose Brier has hit the board in 21 of his 25 lifetime starts and possesses some tactical speed that could be dangerous here. He ran fourth beaten just 1 ¼ lengths by Lochte in the Tampa Bay Stakes (gr. IIIT). Mellow Fellow has been well beaten in his last three starts.