Aqueduct: Call for the Clock has had a tightener

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After a solid weekend of racing highlighted by the Wood Memorial, things get quiet again on the New York Racing Association circuit with 13 days of racing remaining at Aqueduct, including two stakes-less Saturdays.

The next two weeks of racing will be conducted only four days a week, as state law mandates that tracks be closed on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.

Turf racing is scheduled to return this week, with one race carded for Wednesday and two each Thursday and Friday. Heavy rain was forecast for Monday afternoon into Tuesday, which actually might help the dormant course.

Wednesday’s feature is a $59,000 second-level allowance for New York-breds going a mile over the main track. The last time Call for the Clock ran a mile on the main track, he won a first-level statebred allowance by a neck, earning a career-best 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

He has only raced twice since, a 10th-place finish in a stallion stakes race on turf in June and a fourth-place finish behind runaway winner Prohibition in this same condition over Aqueduct’s inner track March 20.

Mark Hennig, who trains Call for the Clock for Alan Brodski, said the horse came out of the turf race last June with “a little wear and tear” and needed some time off. Hennig thought about waiting for the main track to open to run Call for the Clock, but, figuring he would need a race off the layoff, he ran him on the inner track.

Prohibition won that race by 12 1/2 lengths, so Call for the Clock was only beaten 2 1/4 lengths for second.

“He’s a bit of a tall horse, a long-legged horse, a horse that might struggle on the inner track,” Hennig said. “When you get those horses to the main track, it gives them a boost.”

Rajiv Maragh will ride Call for the Clock from post 7 in the eight-horse field.

The last time Go Get the Basil raced one mile on the main track, he was beaten a neck by Bake Shop in this same condition Dec. 1. That’s also the last time Alex Solis rode the 4-year-old colt. While Solis has never won with Go Get the Basil, the colt’s best last three results have been with him aboard.

“Solis gets the most run out of him,” said trainer Rick Violette, who added that he hopes there is no moisture in the track “because he doesn’t handle it.”

Giant Finish, third in last year’s Grade 3 Spiral before running 10th in the Kentucky Derby, has been awful in two starts over the inner track since returning to the races. Perhaps a move to the main track will aid his chances.

Papa Tom and Warrior Up are a coupled entry from the barn of Rodrigo Ubillo, who on Saturday sent out 74-1 shot This Hard Land to victory. Indy Tune, Mighty One, and Joe Mooch complete the field.