OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Macallan and Mr. Ripple were both beaten as odds-on favorites in their last starts, but will likely again take a bulk of the money and test the loyalty of their backers in Friday’s fifth race, a first-level allowance scheduled for 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct. At the top of the stretch of his last race, at a 1 3/16 miles in this same condition, Macallan looked like he was going to finish off the board as the 4-5 favorite. He did have somewhat of an uncomfortable trip between rivals before showing his best stride late when he was maneuvered into the clear by Manny Franco. Trainer Todd Pletcher is adding blinkers to Macallan’s equipment Friday and making a rider change to Kendrick Carmouche, who becomes the seventh rider to pilot him in what will be his ninth start. Macallan breaks from the rail. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Mr. Ripple, who finished fourth in last year’s Florida Derby when in the barn of Saffie Joseph Jr., has been a beaten favorite in both of his starts this year for trainer Christophe Clement. In January, his first start off a nine-month layoff, Mr. Ripple took early pressure in a first-level allowance going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream and finished fourth, beaten three lengths by Shaq Diesel. Mr. Ripple came back at Tampa as the 3-5 choice on Feb. 18, and was second in the slop when he again dueled on the lead and gave way grudgingly to Conspiracy Fact. “Absolutely, both starts he got pressure,” Clement said. “I don’t think he has to be on the lead; wherever the jockey is comfortable putting. Dylan [Davis] is very good at that. He’ll decide what to do with him.” Clement said that Mr. Ripple had a little bit of a rough time when he first arrived in New York at the beginning of the week. “He had a good day [Wednesday] morning, so we’re running,” Clement said. There are other untrustworthy combatants in this field. Cheeky Tico and Duke of Gloucester give bettors a two-for-one option as a coupled entry for Final Turn Racing Stables. Cheeky Tico, trained by Orlando Noda, has won two straight, albeit versus cheaper. His win in a starter allowance on March 2 makes him one of just two runners in this seven-horse field who have won at 1 1/8 miles. Duke of Gloucester, trained by Wayne Potts, has had most of his success in one-turn mile races. Centavo, trained by Naipaul Chatterpaul, won two straight against lesser before finishing fifth in this condition in the same race that Macallan was second. Centavo did get away last that day, and made a bold move to reach contention in upper stretch before fading in the lane. Magical Ways has run two solid races since being claimed for $16,000 by trainer Rudy Rodriguez, who tries stretching him out from a mile to 1 1/8 miles in this spot. Shipsational, a two-time New York-bred stakes winner at 2, has lost his last 13 starts. Trainer Ed Barker is removing blinkers from his equipment Friday. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.