Elsa Lorieul Photo

Pauseforthecause endeavors for third straight win in Sunday's Garland of Roses

by Brian Bohl

Chester and Mary Broman's Pauseforthecause will look to win her second consecutive stakes and post her third victory overall as part of an eight-horse field of fillies and mares 3-years-old and up in Sunday's 34th running of the $100,000 Garland of Roses going six furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack to conclude the four-day Cigar Mile Racing Festival.

The Kiaran McLaughlin trainee led the eight-horse field gate-to-wire in the 6 ½-furlong Iroquois on October 19 at Belmont Park, posting a 3 ½-length victory. Pauseforthecause earned a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure, building on his 5 ½-length score against optional claimers on September 12 at the same distance on a fast Belmont track.

The New York homebred has thrived at the Garland of Roses distance, compiling a 3-1-3 record in eight starts. Jockey Manny Franco will pick up the mount and break from the inside post.

"She's doing very well and we want to use this race to then wade back into facing New York-breds in early January," McLaughlin said.

Bella Cavello Stables' Miss Imperial has started her career with consistent success, finishing in the money in nine of her first 10 starts with an identical 3-3-3 ledger for trainer Joe Sharp.

The sophomore filly by Maclean's Music has earned black type in all four of her previous stakes appearances, starting with a second to Ujjayi in the Ruthless in January and another runner-up to Workaholic in the Cicada in March, both at the Big A. She again was a bridesmaid, finishing 2 ½-length backs to next-out winner Royal Charlotte in the Hystericalady in May at Monmouth Park before running third in the Jersey Girl the day following the Belmont Stakes in June at Belmont.

Kendrick Carmouche will be in the irons from post 3.

Jay Em Ess Stable's Our Circle of Love is coming off a 4 ¾-length win that garnered an 89 Beyer on an off-track on October 16 at Belmont. Trained by Michelle Nevin, the 4-year-old Distorted Humor filly ran second to Arrifana, who won her next start, in an allowance race on August 31 at Saratoga Race Course.

Our Circle of Love, who has two wins and five runner-up efforts in nine starts, will be returning to the track where she broke her maiden at fifth asking following four second-place efforts to start her career. Joel Rosario will ride from post 7.

Grey Fox Stable's New Year's Wish has won four of her last five starts, including a 4 ½-length win against optional claimers in a seven-furlong sprint on November 9 at Aqueduct. Conditioner Linda Rice has seen the New Year's Day 4-year-old filly win at four different distances from six furlongs to one mile and will be running at the Garland of Roses distance for the first time since she romped by 11 lengths and netted an 86 Beyer in December 2018 at Aqueduct.

Junior Alvarado will have the call from post 5.

Rounding out the field is Wildcat Combat, a last-out winner for trainer Miguel Penaloza on October 14 at Parx [post 2, Dexter Haddock]; Sea Sparkle, trained by Chandradat Goberdhan [post 4, Joey Martinez]; Angel At War, conditioned by Michael Gorham [post 6, Jorge Vargas]; and Calinas Song, trained by Edward Barker [post 8; Dylan Davis].

The Garland of Roses is carded as Race 4 on the 10-race card. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.