Aqueduct: Hot Stones better suited for one turn

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though she did successfully stretch out around two turns, her connections believe Hot Stones most likely will prove to be a better one-turn horse.

On Thursday, Hot Stones cuts back to a one-turn, six-furlong race when she takes on five opponents in a $64,000 second-level allowance feature at Aqueduct. Thursday’s card begins the final week of racing over the inner track. Racing is scheduled to move to the outer track March 27.

Hot Stones, a New York-bred daughter of Bustin Stones, won two of her last three sprints before winning a two-turn, one-mile, open-company allowance race Jan. 4. She came back in a third-level allowance restricted to New York-breds but finished sixth as the 3-2 favorite with an excuse.

“She acted up in the gate, hit her head a little bit,” said Bruce Levine, who trains Hot Stones for owners Roddy Valente, Charles Casale, and Darlene Bilinksi. “I thought I’d go back to short. She’ll do better on the outer track, and better at Belmont. With her running style, it’s tough on this track. I hope the track changes a little bit.”

For the last three cards, Aqueduct’s inner track has been favoring inside speed runners. Hot Stones does her best work from off the pace.

Irad Ortiz Jr., who will win his second consecutive inner-track-meet riding title, has the call from post 2.

Love Contract, Sky Skier, and The Royal Boot have enough speed to keep each other company on the front end.

Nuffsaid Nuffsaid, who has won her last four sprint races for trainer Michelle Nevin, is the other logical contender in this spot. Jose Ortiz rides from the rail.

Also on Thursday’s card is a $59,000 second-level allowance restricted to New York-breds going 1 1/16 miles. Prohibition, who was fourth, beaten two lengths, in a similar spot Feb. 10, returns from Parx for trainer Cal Lynch.

Two starts back, Prohibition won a first-level allowance race by 15 1/4 lengths going a mile here Jan. 23. He figures to use his speed again from the rail under new jockey Frankie Pennington.

Sinistra, who has a win and three narrow defeats from four inner-track starts this winter, figures to lay close under Rosario Montanez.

Other contenders in this field include Go Get the Basil, Call for the Clock, and The Brothers Rap.

Honor Code pointing to Wood

Honor Code, who finished second in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park on March 12 in his 2014 debut, is pointing to the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial on April 5 at Aqueduct as his next start and final prep for the May 3 Kentucky Derby, trainer Shug McGaughey said Tuesday.

“He came out of the race well,” McGaughey said. “He jogged a couple days and has been galloping a couple days now. He should breeze over the weekend or early next week.”

McGaughey said Honor Code would remain at Gulfstream Park to train until the week of the Wood. Last November, Honor Code defeated Cairo Prince by a nose in the Grade 2 Remsen, which, like the Wood, is run at 1 1/8 miles over the main track.

Jockey Teator retires

Phil Teator, who shared the Eclipse Award as champion apprentice jockey in 1997, retired from race riding following the conclusion of Monday’s card.

Teator, 36, rode 724 winners from 9,127 mounts in his career. In 1997, Teator won 118 races and shared the Eclipse Award for leading apprentice with Roberto Rosado.

Teator won 25 stakes in his career, including three graded races aboard Twilight Road. Teator said he plans to become an electrician and work with his father in the construction business in upstate New York.

“I’ve been traveling around, got some money put away. I’m just at the point where I want to try something else,” Teator said. “I’m going to miss riding, I love riding. I’ve ridden for some top trainers and won races at the best tracks in the country, but I’m getting a little older now, and I just want to try something else.”

Teator struggled at Aqueduct this winter, recording just one victory from 60 mounts.

–additional reporting by Jay Privman