$84,000 pick-six carryover up for grabs

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A pick-six carryover of $84,200 adds some life to a rather mundane Friday card at Aqueduct. The sequence begins in race 4 (1:50 p.m. Eastern) and includes three races with a minimum of 10 horses each, before scratches.

Given the forecast, the inner track should be fast. Here’s a look at the sequence:

Race 4: Control Group, a potential single, is one of three in here making their first start for a claiming tag, and he is also stretching out in distance for the first time. He was wide when third in the mud on a day when the inside was the place to be. His last start on a fast track resulted in a second-place finish to the debuting Fleet Irish, who got beat a nose in his next race.

Undercover Agent, second in the mud last out, and Dynamax Prime, making his first dirt start and his first for a tag, are others to consider.

Race 5: This treacherous $12,500 claimer at 1 1/16 miles is headed by Erik the Red and Marriage Fever, who were one-two in a similar spot Dec. 18. Marriage Fever goes first off the claim for Carlos Martin and may appreciate dry footing.

An interesting price horse is Bullheaded Boy, who goes first off the claim for Antonio Arriaga. Arriaga was an exercise rider for Todd Pletcher, who had this horse in his younger (and more productive) days. Last time Bullheaded Boy ran on fast ground, he was second in the Maryland Millions Classic last October at Laurel. Arriaga is 2 for 5 over the last five months first off the claim.

Lunar Rover, trained by Danny Gargan, drops to the lowest level of his career with a “for sale” sign on his back.

Race 6: Gargan also looks to be unloading Gambler’s Ghost in this $10,000 claimer. The difference between him and Lunar Rover is that Gambler’s Ghost is in good form. He could, however, get into a duel with Storm Pursuit, which could set things up nicely for Fullfaithandcredit, second to Storm Pursuit two back at this level when Storm Pursuit was loose on the lead. Storm Pursuit goes first off the claim for the white-hot Chris Englehart.

Race 7: Linda Rice and John Toscano both excel first off the claim and send out the newly acquired Going Strong and In Equality, respectively, in this starter allowance. Going Strong, coming off an 8 1/4-length win in the mud Nov. 30, will be the first starter Rice sends out for Mike Repole, for whom she has claimed three horses.

Toscano claimed In Equality off a five-length win for $25,000 on Dec. 16. Toscano is 8 for 24 first off the claim over the last three years on the inner track. In Equality is 2 for 3 over the inner track, with a third in the Grade 3 Jerome last winter. Nominal Dollars was beaten a neck at this level last out.

Race 8: Yes, Rudy Rodriguez has gone just 1 for 27 at Aqueduct over the last 2 1/2 weeks, but it’s hard to look past Malibu Princess, who was second when widest of all to the front-running winner Play Unified over an inside-speed-favoring, sloppy inner track Dec. 29. Malibu Princess could be the main speed here.

Star’s Bella Vita is a new face on this circuit and is trying dirt for the first time for Rick Violette.

Race 9: Catapult Jack ran a remarkable race to be second after literally falling on his face in this same kind of race Dec. 31. Still, he’s tough to take from the outside post and was a beaten favorite twice before that effort.

If you’re looking for somebody different, Red Hook Express fits the bill. He turns back to a sprint after two decent efforts routing. Last time sprinting, he was bumped at the start, had one horse beaten at the three-eighths pole, and showed interest late when beaten less than six lengths by a next-out winner.

Ornato would be the other one to use out of the Dec. 31 race.