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Jenda just smashing in Molly Pitcher finale
Longshot Stage Trick (Distorted Humor) hustled to grab the early lead from Malibu Prayer, who was content to track in second through splits of :23 3/5 and :47 3/5. In the next flight came the rail-hugging Just Jenda, virtually in tandem with Queen Martha. Canadian shipper Milwaukee Appeal (Milwaukee Brew) raced in the rear of the five-horse field, which was reduced by the withdrawal of Unforgotten (Northern Afleet). Malibu Prayer began to turn up the pressure on Stage Trick nearing the far turn, and the odds-on favorite had already taken control when reaching six furlongs in 1:11 3/5. In the meantime, Just Jenda had been angled out by regular rider Terry Thompson, and she was poised right off Malibu Prayer's flank turning for home. Just Jenda overhauled her rival at the top of the stretch and bounded clear to complete 1 1/16 miles in 1:43 2/5 on the fast track. The winner returned $8, $3 and $2.20 while starting the $16 exacta and $41.20 trifecta (3-1-6). "When she works fast, she runs fast," Cindy Jones said. "She went :58 and four at Delaware the other day (on Tuesday). She was on top of her game and the race just worked out perfectly. She didn't have to chase the speed today, but could sit back and relax. This was a real tough field, and we couldn't be more proud of her." Malibu Prayer kept second by two lengths from the rallying Milwaukee Appeal, paying $2.40 and $2.10. The third-placer gave back $2.80 at 7-1. Queen Martha, who had come under a ride a long way out, steadily retreated and crossed the wire another 11 1/4 lengths astern in fourth, beating only Stage Trick. Just Jenda is now four-for-five at Monmouth, with her previous victories coming in last year's Monmouth Oaks (G3) and Serena's Song S. as well as the May 30 Monmouth Beach S. As a three-year-old, the chestnut captured the 2009 Honeybee S. (G3) at Oaklawn and Tiffany Lass S. at Fair Grounds, and placed in the Fantasy S. (G2), Eight Belles S. (G3) and Silverbulletday S. (G3). Her resume also includes a score in the 2008 Brandywine S. at Philadelphia Park as a juvenile. With this seventh career stakes coup, Just Jenda signs off with a 17-8-1-3 line and $750,680 in earnings. Bred by Lavin Bloodstock Services in Kentucky, Just Jenda failed to reach her reserve when bringing a $37,000 bid as a Keeneland September yearling. She is out of the stakes-placed Liberty School (Pine Bluff), who has since produced an unraced juvenile filly named Exploremore (Five Star Day), an unnamed yearling colt by Strong Hope and a 2010 colt by Mizzen Mast. Liberty School is a half-sister three stakes-winning stakes producers -- Grade 2 heroine Seeking Regina (Seeking the Gold), the dam of Grade 3 victress Seeking the Sky (Storm Cat) and the Grade 2-placed pair of Seeking It All (A.P. Indy) and Seeking the Money (Capote); Grade 3-placed stakes winner Tutorial (Forty Niner), the dam of 2009 Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3) scorer, Dixie Band (Dixie Union); and finally, stakes winner Oxford Scholar (Seeking the Gold), the dam of stakes winners Smokin Forest (Forestry) and Scholastic Giant (Giant's Causeway) and the Grade 3-placed Turnbolt (Deputy Minister). This is the family of Bachelor Beau (Raised Socially), successful in the 1986 Blue Grass S. (G1). Plans call for Just Jenda to begin her new career by visiting Proud Citizen next year. The choice of stallion is fitting, considering that Proud Citizen sired Proud Spell, whom Larry Jones trained to champion three-year-old filly honors in 2008. Brereton Jones, the owner/breeder of Proud Spell, stands Proud Citizen at his Airdrie Farm near Midway, Kentucky.
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