Aqueduct: Cody Samora just needs to relax

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Beaten as a short-priced favorite in her last two starts, Cody Samora will try to win back her loyal followers against six fellow New York-bred fillies and mares in Wednesday’s $60,000 Chase the Dream Stakes at Aqueduct.

After winning two races over the inner track by a combined 19 1/4 lengths to begin the winter, Cody Samora stumbled badly at the start of a Feb. 24 allowance race and was beaten only a head as the 1-4 favorite. She came back 31 days later, and despite getting loose on the lead, Cody Samora was run down by longshot Reprieve and had to settle for second at 6-5.

Trainer John Morrison felt that Cody Samora went too fast too early last time out.

“I think the key is getting her to relax,” Morrison said. “For whatever reason last time she didn’t, and that’s what got her beat.”

Cody Samora began her career winning three one-turn races, one at Belmont and two Saratoga. A common denominator in those three starts was a wet racetrack, something she could get on Wednesday if the forecast holds.

“It’s not going to bother me if it rains,” Morrison said.

Unable to get a turf allowance race to fill, trainer Bill Badgett has elected to use the Chase the Dream as the comeback race for Exclusive Scheme, who went 3 for 9 last year, all on the turf, including a 25-1 upset in the William B. Fasig Stakes at Saratoga.

Exclusive Scheme is 2 for 3 on off tracks, including a six-length victory against three rivals in an off-the-turf allowance race last October going a mile at Aqueduct.

“That was off the turf and there wasn’t much in there,” Badgett said. “This is not an easy race. She’s doing real well and we’ll get a race into her and then try to get back on the grass at the end of the month.”

Eager Emma won a one-mile allowance race over Aqueduct’s main track at last spring’s meeting and comes into the race off a four-length victory against open company. One of the horses she beat in her last race was the aforementioned Reprieve. Eager Emma will be coupled with Banker’s Buy as both are owned by Edward Cox and trained by Nick Zito.

Mineralogist is 2 for 2 over wet tracks, but she returned from an 18-month layoff with a non-effort in the Broadway Stakes. Go Unbridled and Spa City Princess complete the field.