Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey
Mia's Crusade loves Monmouth Park and an off-track.
The 4-year-old filly broke on top of the field from post position 9 and vied three wide for the early lead and was in control the entire race to win the $85,000 Spruce Fir Handicap at Monmouth Park over a sloppy track.
Trained by Chuck Spina and ridden by Jomar Torres, Mia's Crusade was coming into the Spruce Fir off of an eight-month layoff but repeated a similar pattern when she won off a seven-month layoff in her first start of 2022 on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park.
A daughter of Greenpointcrusader-Mini Moneigh by Mo Mon, Mia’s Crusade has a solid 4-2-1 line from 12 career starts. Her $239,031 in career earnings make her the most successful offspring of Greenpoint Crusader, who won the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes in 2015.
“She’s an honest filly with not a lot of breeding. We bought her as a weanling from the breeder, Dianne Boyken,” said Spina. “She tries every time.
Spina is part owner of Mia’s Crusade along with Joseph and Gayle Ioia and is looking for another solid year from her. She was 0-for-3 in stakes tries entering the Spruce Fir Handicap but finished second in the Smart N Classy a year ago, beaten just a half-length, in her first career start going long.