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Informed Decision faces full field in Masters defense Champion female sprinter INFORMED DECISION (Monarchos) will be back to defend her title in Saturday's $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters S. (G3), but the Jonathan Sheppard-trained mare will face a deeper field this time around. An overflow of 14, including two also-eligibles, has been entered for the 6 1/2-furlong event on Tapeta, including Grade 1 winner DR. ZIC (Milwaukee Brew) and multiple Grade 3 heroine DUBAI MAJESTY (Essence of Dubai). Informed Decision remains the one to beat. She went six-for-seven last year, winning all five attempts on synthetic tracks, including the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), and reeled off two straight stakes wins this summer, including the July 27 Windward S. at Presque Isle, prior to a sixth in the Ballerina S. (G1) two weeks ago. The late runner caught a speed-favoring dirt track at Saratoga that played against her style, but the five-year-old is a strong candidate to show much more on Saturday. Regular rider Julien Leparoux retains the mount on the synthetic specialist. Dr. Zic defeated Informed Decision in their only previous outing, capturing the Madison S. (G1) over Keeneland's Polytrack in April, and her ninth-place effort in the Princess Rooney H. (G1) last out came on dirt. The four-year-old has done some of her best running on all-weather surfaces and is eligible to rebound in this spot for conditioner Joan Scott. Javier Castellano will pick up the assignment. Dubai Majesty finished one spot better than Informed Decision when second in the Madison, and the versatile Bret Calhoun-trainee will enter the Masters in sharp current form. A repeat winner of the Winning Colors S. (G3) three back, the five-year-old recorded a good third in the Princess Rooney prior to her victory in the grassy Incredible Revenge S. at Monmouth Park on August 15. Miguel Mena will back aboard the stalker. MOTHER RUSSIA (Mayakovsky) will ship in for Linda Rice off a pair of placings in graded events at Woodbine, and the Tom Amoss-trained RED HOT BUDDHA (Buddha) is two for two at Presque Isle, including a win in the Inaugural S. three starts back.
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