Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey
OCEANPORT, N.J. – In one sense, it was a bit of surprise when Summer’s Comin won last year’s Spruce Fir Handicap at Monmouth Park. She was 16-1 that day and had been winless in seven previous stakes tries.
But based on a career that features eight wins and $373,591 in earnings – making her the sixth-highest earner all time for Mike Dini, who has been training since 1995 – it may not have been quite the upset it appeared to be at first glance.
Coming off a win at Tampa in a $100,000 optional claimer in her last start, Summer’s Comin will look to repeat in Saturday’s edition of the Spruce Fir, a six-furlong event restricted to Jersey-bred fillies and mares, 3 and up.
“She has always been good for me,” said Dini. “She is just sort of a head case sometimes. Whenever she draws inside and gets in between horses she doesn’t like it at all. The jock will take hold of her in those situations and she overreacts.
“Instead of just dropping back to second or third and relaxing she will drop back to the end of the back and seems to get in trouble.”
The Spruce Fir drew a full field of 12, with Summer’s Comin near the middle in post seven.
That, Dini hopes, will keep her out of trouble.
“I think she is coming into this race better than she did last year,” he said. “And with post seven I like it. The jock (Francisco Martinez) can just let her go out there. If she wants to be on the lead he can let her go. She shouldn’t have traffic problems if she breaks well. It’s not like being on the inside when they’re all coming over on you, which she does not like.”
A 5-year-old daughter of Summer Front owned by Dini and bred by Helen and Joseph Barbizon, Summer’s Comin is coming off a year that saw her produce three wins and two seconds from nine start. She has won both long and short and has three wins on the turf.
Her career earnings have her sixth on the list of all-time money-earners for Dini, with a win Saturday moving her into fourth place. Dynatail, who finished with $546,475 in career earnings, tops Dini’s list, with Bramble Bay (since claimed away) second.
“She might have won even more money but she has this issue of finding a way to get in trouble,” said Dini. “She’s a big filly. If you walk by her stall you would think she’s a bulldog. But she’s actually very timid.
“She might have finally grown into herself this year because she is such a big filly. Mentally if she gets brave she could be an even better horse.”
But this might be her last year of racing, according to Dini, who said she will likely be bred next year, leaving her with perhaps three more races in her career.
Dini, meanwhile, hopes a repeat by Summer’s Comin on Saturday will be the spark he needs to get jumpstarted after setting personal bests in wins and earnings a year ago.
He currently shows a 4-5-4 line from 21 starters at the Monmouth Park meet with 15 wins overall this year. He won 49 races a year ago.
“It was a good year last year for me,” he said. “I thought I would have an even better one this year but I’ve started out slowly. I’m hoping to finish fast.”