Aqueduct: Clearly Now seeks clean trip in Carter
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Clearly Now’s last trip to New York was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Seemingly full of run but with nowhere to go in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile last Nov. 30, Clearly Now stumbled badly at the quarter pole – presumably clipping heels with Private Zone. Clearly Now would persevere through the stretch but finished fifth.
Saturday, Clearly Now returns to Aqueduct, where he will make his 4-year-old debut in the Grade 1, $500,000 Carter Handicap at seven furlongs. The Carter will go as race 11 on a 12-race card highlighted by the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial.
Clearly Now will take on a field that includes Grade 1 winners Sahara Sky, Strapping Groom, and Golden Ticket in the seven-horse field.[bc_video_id:320304:]
According to trainer Brian Lynch, as a result of the incident in the Cigar Mile, Clearly Now had a laceration at the bottom of his sesamoid that required stitches and stall rest.
“It healed nicely. We put him back under tack at the beginning or middle of January and we haven’t missed a beat since,” Lynch said.
Lynch said he targeted the Carter because he didn’t think it would come up as strong as other Grade 1 races later in the year. Also, last year, Clearly Now ran a very good second over this track in the Grade 3 Bay Shore.
“He likes Aqueduct. I’m excited. He’s doing really well,” Lynch said. “He’s had quite a good work pattern going in. He looks incredible, carrying good weight, acting like a horse sitting on a big race.”
Clearly Now will break from post 2 under Jose Ortiz.
Sahara Sky was beaten three-quarters of a length by Swagger Jack in last year’s Carter before returning to New York to win the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont.
In two starts this year, Sahara Sky finished fifth in the Palos Verdes before unleashing a wild late run to win the Grade 2 San Carlos on March 8.
“I’m happy with the timing,” said Jerry Hollendorfer, trainer and part-owner of Sahara Sky. “This horse lets you know when he’s ready to do things. He’s training forwardly right now.”
With Joel Rosario at Keeneland on Saturday, Corey Nakatani picks up the mount on Sahara Sky, a late-runner who breaks from post 6 under high weight of 122 pounds.
Central Banker has yet to win a graded stakes, but was beaten just one-half length by Shakin It Up in the Grade 1 Malibu last Dec. 26. His trainer, Al Stall, targeted this race after purses were cut in sprint stakes at Fair Grounds.
Central Banker has fired three consecutive bullet works and has a history of running well fresh as evidenced by a victory in the Quick Call Stakes on turf last July at Saratoga.
“He’s good, no excuses,” said Stall, whose horse will break from the rail under John Velazquez. “He runs well fresh.”
Strapping Groom, last year’s Grade 1 Forego winner, will try to defend his home turf in the Carter. He won the Gravesend and Tom Fool over the inner track after running second to Palace over the main track last fall.
Golden Ticket, dead-heat Travers winner in 2012; Dads Caps, second in three stakes over the inner track; and Saturday’s Charm complete the field.