By Joe Bianca
Grade I winner Abscond (Blame), favored in the local Ginger Brew S. last out, stumbled at the start and got rank after that before finishing a close third, but will have a chance at redemption when likely going off as the public's choice again in Saturday's GIII Herecomesthebride S. for 3-year-old turf fillies at Gulfstream.
A debut victress sprinting on the Ellis green last July, the bay was runner-up to 'TDN Rising Star' Kimari (Munnings) in the Bolton Landing S. Aug. 14 at Saratoga before gamely prevailing in the GI Natalma S. Sept. 15 at Woodbine. Fading to seventh after dueling on the front end in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, the Eddie Kenneally trainee never quite looked comfortable after the break in the Ginger Brew, but ran on decently between horses to be beaten just three-quarters of a length.
The lone other stakes winner in the field is Teresa and David Palmer's Cheermeister (Bodemeister), who wired the Wait A While S. here three back Nov. 30 and, after retreating to 10th in the Ginger Brew, scored another front-running success in the local GIII Sweetest Chant S. Feb. 1.
The one-two finishers from a course-and-distance optional claimer Jan. 31 both loom as contenders. Stuart Janney's In a Hurry (Blame), sixth when unveiled in a Colonial turf sprint Aug. 17, finished full of run to graduate at a mile Sept. 27 at Laurel and repeated when adding Lasix here in her seasonal debut. Beaten a half-length by her was Mary Ann Charlston's Witez (More Than Ready), who was previously runner-up at 45-1 in the GII JPMorgan Chase Jessamine S. Oct. 9 at Keeneland.
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