Heavenly Sunday Looms Large in Ellis Park Turf

A field of nine fillies and mares will run 1 1/16 miles on the lawn in Monday’s $150,000 Ellis Park Turf S. #5 Heavenly Sunday is a multiple graded stakes heroine who has won or placed in nine of her 11 lifetime races on the green that includes a nice second in the Tepin S. here last season. 

Trained by Brad Cox, the Candy Ride four-year-old is winless from three outings this season but has run pretty well on each occasion, led by a runner-up finish in the Mint Julep S. (G3) beneath the Twin Spires two back. 

Ellis Turf Wagers

• 50-cent superfecta 5 with 2 with all with all ($21)
• 50-cent superfecta 5 with all with 2 with all ($21)

Heavenly Sunday has been facing stakes foes for the majority of her career and looks to be the class of the field. She is not a win machine, but her talent and consistency both make her difficult to oppose in the feature. Florent Geroux, who is her regular pilot, will be in the controls and will put the filly in the mix from the opening bell. 

#2 Take A Stand is a contender that I will be keying underneath in the vertical exotics for trainer Victoria Oliver. 

The chestnut mare has performed on the lawn on just two prior occasions, but one of those resulted in a third in the Mrs. Revere Stakes (G2).

The Will Take Charge five-year-old put in a trio of solid efforts on the all-weather in the winter, and since synthetic form can translate to the lawn, she should give a nice account of herself in the contest.

The homebred is not especially quick from the gate but she is not slow either, and a ground-saving trip while four or five lengths off of the pace to the top of the lane is her expected trip. Regular pilot Fernando de la Cruz will ask Take A Stand for her best as the cast turns for home. 

I lack conviction with the seven remaining entrants in the field and will be using the "all" button for the lower rungs of the gimmicks.