Aqueduct: Long River targets first graded win in Excelsior
[bc_video_id:319011:]OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After a two-month vacation in south Florida, Long River returns to New York where he will look to capture his first graded stakes victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct.
Long River will be coupled in the wagering with Romansh as both horses are owned by Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum’s Godolphin Racing. A field of seven was entered in the Excelsior, but Mr Palmer was cross-entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Harrison Johnson Memorial at Laurel and will run there, according to assistant trainer Leana Willaford.
Long River is a son of Grade 1 winners A.P. Indy and Round Pond who has come back extremely well since having surgery to remove a knee chip following a last-place finish in the Grade 3 Withers in February 2013.
Long River has won three consecutive races, including the Evening Attire Stakes here Jan. 18 in which he ran down a loose-on-the-lead Percussion to win by three-quarters of a length. He earned a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure. Long River was shipped to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s south Florida barn as he was being considered for several, more prestigious spots, before his connections settled on the Excelsior.
This will be Long River’s first start at 1 1/8 miles, but his connections feel the longer the better for this colt.
“We think he definitely can go a mile and an eighth,” said Art Magnuson, McLaughlin’s New York-based assistant. “A mile and an eighth to a mile and a quarter should be fine. He looks great, happy.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Long River from the rail.
When last seen in New York, Romansh, trained by Tom Albertrani, was drawing off to a 9 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Discovery at 1 1/8 miles over Aqueduct’s main track. He shipped to south Florida where he began his 4-year-old campaign in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap, but finished last.
He appears to have been training well since the race, and Albertrani was hoping that Romansh was simply in need of a race off the layoff.
Jose Ortiz rides from post 7.
After losing the Evening Attire by three-quarters of a length, Percussion was beaten a neck by Farhaan in the Stymie here Feb. 22. He is back for another crack at capturing his first graded stakes victory.
“It looks like a tough race. I was hoping Long River wasn’t coming back for it, but the horse is doing well, seems to like the track, so we’ll give it a try,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Percussion does his best work on the front end and in evaluating the field Pletcher said, “There doesn’t appear to be a ton of speed in there.”
Chris DeCarlo rides Percussion from post 4.
Praetereo hasn’t won at 1 1/8 miles since winning a maiden race at Gulfstream in 2011. He was a well-beaten third by Farhaan in an overnight stakes over the inner track Dec. 29. He is running back eight days after finishing last in a seven-furlong optional-claiming race at Laurel.
Dawly, winner of four of his last five albeit against lesser company, makes his stakes debut in this, his 30th career start. Don Dulce makes his first start after being claimed for $75,000 by Mitch Friedman.