Coglianese / NYRA Photo Photo

Mrs. Orb, Newly Minted square off in Biogio's Rose

by Najja Thompson

A winner of her last four starts, Mrs. Orb will attempt to notch her second consecutive stakes win taking on a field of eight in the $100,000 Biogio's Rose, a one-turn mile for New York-bred fillies and mares 4-years-old and up on Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained and co-owned by Mike Miceli with Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, and Script R Farm, the 5-year-old daughter of Orb didn't break her maiden until her 11th start in August over the inner turf at Saratoga Race Course.

She followed her maiden score with an off-the-board effort in a Belmont turf allowance, but has since wheeled off four straight wins including a victory in the Bay Ridge on December 29 in her most recent start. She worked four furlongs in 48.45 seconds on Sunday at the Belmont Park training track and Miceli said she's entering the Biogio's Rose in good order.

"She's been consistent and she's on her game," said Miceli. "She had a nice final tune up for this last Sunday. I thought the work was good and we're going to let her run her race. She's a one-move kind of horse and we won't change her. We'll let her run her race."

Reunited with Dylan Davis, aboard for her previous four victories, Mrs. Orb will depart from the inside post.

The most formidable challenger to Mrs. Orb is three-time stakes winner Newly Minted for Beach Haven Thoroughbreds.

The 4-year-old Central Banker filly began her career with three straight wins including a 7 ½ length triumph in the New York Stallion Stakes Series Park Avenue in April 2019. She also captured the Bouwerie at Belmont and Fleet Indian last summer at Saratoga before finishing fourth in the Empire Distaff on October 19 at Belmont, where she fell in the gallop out and required time off.

Newly Minted returned to action with a strong second in an allowance race on December 8 at Aqueduct and enters the Biogio's Rose off an impressive 7 1/4-length allowance win on December 22 at the Big A.

Conditioner Linda Rice said she is looking forward to a return to stakes company for Newly Minted.

"She's been doing well and continued to progress off her effort last out," said Rice. "We wanted to use that race as a spring-board to get here. We got that done so we look forward to Saturday."

Drawing post 7, Newly Minted will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.

Looking for some class relief is multiple stakes winner Espresso Shot for NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, Maspeth Stables, and Parkland Thoroughbreds.

The 4-year-old daughter of Mission Impazible won the East View to close out her juvenile campaign in December of 2018 and kicked off her 3-year-old season with a victory in the Busher in March 2019. Espresso Shot is winless since the Busher in five subsequent starts, including a sixth-place finish last out in the Grade 3 Go for Wand, but trainer Jorge Abreu said he looks for her to improve off that effort.

"She broke a little slow [in the Go for Wand] and was pretty much compromised at the start, but since that race she's been doing well," Abreu said. "Following that race we shipped her down to Palm Meadows where she's been breezing well and her last work at Belmont in preparation for this was good. We're certainly looking for her to improve at Aqueduct where she's had some previous success."

With two wins from six starts at the Big A and two wins from three starts at the distance, Espresso Shot will leave from post 5 with Kendrick Carmouche aboard.

Rounding out the field is Our Super Nova (post 2, Junior Alvarado) for conditioner Charlie Baker; Out of Orbit (post 3, Jorge Vargas, Jr.) for conditioner Phil Serpe; No Hayne No Gayne (Post 4, Reylu Gutierrez) for trainer Steve Amsussen; More Mischief for trainer Chad Brown (Post 6, Manny Franco); and Held Accountable (post 8, Eric Cancel).

The Biogio's Rose is slated as Race 8 on Sunday's nine-race card. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.