From a Monmouth Park release
Perpetual Novena looks for her first career stakes win as she takes on 10 other three-year-old fillies going five and a half furlongs on the turf in Saturday’s $60,000 Crank It Up Stakes.
“She likes the turf and has been training well for us,” said Eddie Plesa Jr., who trains the horse for Rick Shanley.
Perpetual Novena, by Majestic Warrior out of the Omega Code mare Viola Blew By, has worked three times over the Monmouth dirt since returning from Gulfstream Park, her latest a four furlong breeze in 52 seconds on May 31.
This will be Perpetual Novena’s second career start on the Monmouth turf. She finished second in the 2014 Colleen Stakes behind Harlan’s Honor, who will be breaking just to the outside of Perpetual Novena in the Crank It Up.
“It all depends on the break for her,” said Plesa Jr. “She doesn’t have to be on the lead. She likes to sit just off the pace.”
Perpetual Novena’s last race was back in April, where she pressed the pace early, but finished fifth by 2 ¾ lengths in a $42,000 allowance going five furlongs on the turf at Gulfstream Park.
Harlan’s Honor isn’t the only stakes winner Perpetual Novena has to get by on Saturday. She will have to face the likes of Lady Shipman, who is the 5/2 morning line favorite, Ancient Goddess and War Alert, who have all won stakes either in the US or across the pond in Europe.
Perpetual Novena will be breaking from the five post and 10-1 in the morning line odds.
