$285,000 pick five carryover up for grabs early on card
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Whether in person or online, don’t be late to Aqueduct on Friday, when a $285,092 carryover in the early pick five spices up an eight-race card. There is also a $40,771 carryover in the pick six following some improbable results Sunday.
The early pick five, with a 50-cent minimum and a 15 percent takeout, begins in race 1, and post time these days for an eight-race card is 1:20 p.m. The pick six, with a $1 minimum and a 24 percent takeout, begins in race 3 (2:20 p.m.) and includes the last three legs of the early pick five.
There was rain in the forecast Thursday into Friday morning, so be prepared to upgrade horses who like some moisture in the track.
Here’s a look at the sequence:
Race 1: Sounds Spooky drops to lowest level of his career, gets Lasix for the first time, and faces a seemingly weak group. Stormandy wheels back one week after getting soundly beaten by a runaway loose-on-the-lead winner. Not much else to endorse in this maiden $20,000 claimer.
Race 2: Maybe the toughest race in sequence. Trainer John Toscano Jr. is 5 for 10 the last four years bringing horses back in seven days or less, and that is what he’s doing with Its Cold in Dehere, who ran fourth for $40,000 last Friday and now is in for $20,000 claiming. This horse finished a good second for Linda Rice wheeling back in a week in January 2022. Problem is, Its Cold in Dehere is 0 for 8 at Aqueduct, all since being brought here by Rice, who claimed her in November 2021.
Viradia overcame some trouble at the break to win a $10,000 claimer for Jeffrey Englehart, who also entered Indian Bella, who was second to Viradia in that same race and whom Englehart claimed that day. With Dylan Davis named on both, only one may start. Englehart on Wednesday was still not sure which one will run, but did say Viradia would scratch if the track is wet.
Vallarand also wheels back in a week. Her trainer, Carlos Martin, is 2 for 20 the last five years with horses running back in seven days or less.
Mariah’s Fortune had two races last summer that make her a possibility in here.
Race 3: The well-bred Spirit of St Louis makes it to the races, albeit at age 4. He is a full brother to Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare sprint winner Bar of Gold, a first-out winner, as was sibling Homeland. Of trainer Chad Brown’s nine wins at this meet, three have come with a first-time starter.
Charlie Baker sends out first-time starter Squid Gamer, a half-brother to debut winner Evaluator and three other winners (though not on debut). This gelding by Violence has a solid work tab. Baker, however, only is 3 for 32 the last two years with firsters.
Refuah, with five runner-up finishes from 10 starts, must be used defensively. Tie Breaker, 7 1/2 lengths behind Refuah in an Oct. 20 maiden race, goes first out for David Duggan, who is enjoying an excellent winter.
Race 4: Complete Agenda and Fromanothamutha may be all you need to get by this leg. Complete Agenda won first off the claim for Rice here on Jan. 7, then was dreadful finishing last when wheeled back one week later. He has a month between starts now and is back in the claiming ranks.
Complete Agenda could be compromised by a seeming lack of pace, which is where Fromanothamutha comes in. He could be loose on the lead here, unlike on Jan. 7 when he was part of a pressured pace and folded behind Complete Agenda.
Deeper pockets may throw in Doctor Love, who was third to Complete Agenda two back and gets Manny Franco.
Race 5: I would feel pretty good if alive in the last leg with the trio of Spelterini, Fabulously Funny, and Swanson Lake. Spelterini and Fabulously Funny finished second and third here on Jan. 7, with Fabulously Funny stumbling at the start and getting shuffled back in what was her career debut. Spelterini has been a two-time beaten favorite, but her last race, her first on Lasix, was one of her best.
Michael McCarthy sends in first-time starter Swanson Lake from Kentucky, probably seeking dirt for this daughter of Constitution.
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