Francesca Le Donne Photo

Love of My Heart makes stakes debut in $100K Ruthless

by Ryan Martin

Following a third-out graduation in her main track debut, Debby Oxley's Love of My Heart will look to make a successful stakes debut when she headlines a nine-horse field in Sunday's $100,000 Ruthless at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The seven-furlong contest over the main track pays homage to the inaugural winner of the Belmont Stakes who also went on to beat colts in the 1867 Travers. A daughter of Eclipse out of Barbarity, her full sisters were stakes winners Regardless, Relentless, Remorseless and Merciless who were known as the "Barbarous Battalion" due to their talent on the track.

After two starts over grass, the third time was the charm for Love of My Heart when the Colonel John homebred broke her maiden going six furlongs at the Big A on December 22. The maiden score produced a 69 Beyer Speed Figure, her best number in three career starts.

Before switching to dirt, Love of My Heart was fourth over the Mellon turf course at Saratoga Race Course and a well-beaten seventh over the lawn at Aqueduct.

Trainer Mark Casse said the switch to the main track made all the difference.

"I thought her last race was very strong," Casse said. "She's a filly that we really liked, that's why we brought her to Saratoga over the summer. She had some things go wrong, she had a foot that was bothering her. I was disappointed in her first couple of starts, but then we switched her to dirt and her last race was very powerful."

Apprentice rider Declan Carroll was aboard for her last out win and will attempt his second stakes win when piloting Love of My Heart from the rail.

Haymarket Farm's Cruise and Danze didn't have quite enough real estate to get the job done last out when second facing winners going six furlongs over a sloppy main track at the Big A on December 14, but will stretch out in distance in the Ruthless from post 5.

Trained by Jeremiah O'Dwyer, the dark bay daughter of Danza flashed early speed when breaking her maiden over the main track on November 1 at Laurel Park, where trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer is based, but sat off the pace in her last start where she fell a nose short of victory to Compensate.

"She ran a big race the last time I shipped her up there. I felt that she was just on the wrong side of the head bob," O'Dwyer said. "I would prefer the race was six furlongs because she has a lot of speed. From what I've seen out of her in the mornings, she seems to be a very fast filly, but in a very relaxed manner. She's not too keen or rank which is a good thing. I'm hopeful she can get seven furlongs."

Jockey Eric Cancel rode Cruise and Danze last out and will be back aboard.

"Eric got her to relax last time and I think that was key. I think he'll ride her with a lot of confidence," O'Dwyer said.

Completing the field are Panthera Onca [post 2, Jose Lezcano], Bay Jewel [post 3, Dylan Davis], Well Brush Mytooth [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche], The New Miami [post 6, Andre Worrie], Wicked Amber [post 7, Keivan Serrano], Wiggle and Jiggle [post 8, Manny Franco] and Miss Marissa [post 9, Junior Alvarado].

The Ruthless is slated as Race 7 on Sunday's eight-race card. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.