Aqueduct: Mamdooha finishes strongly to win Cicada

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Neither a two-month layoff nor an against-the-track trip could keep Mamdooha from winning her fourth straight race, this time posting a 1 1/2-length victory over stablemate Sustainable in Saturday’s $100,000 Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct.

Mamdooha added the Cicada to previous stakes successes in the Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel on Dec. 7 and the Ruthless Stakes here on Jan. 12. She also won a maiden race over Aqueduct’s main track on Nov. 3 following a debut loss at Monmouth in September.

Both Mamdooha and Sustainable hail from trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s New York barn with assistant Art Magnuson overseeing the preparation of both 3-year-old fillies.

Under Eddie Castro, Mamdooha was fifth in the early stages as the speedy Inspired Say Eye tried to take advantage of an inside-speed-favoring track while running an opening quarter in 22.87 seconds and the half-mile in 46.52.

Castro had Mamdooha in the two to three path down the backside, and was able to save a little ground entering the far turn before having to swing four to five wide turning into the stretch. Inspired Say Eye led until midstretch before Mamdooha overtook her and outfinished Sustainable. Sustainable was second by a half-lenth over Alapaca Fina. Red Minx, Inspired Say Eye, Jonesin for Jerry and Rock Me Mama completed the order of finish. Miss Behaviour, last year’s Grade 2 Matron winner, scratched after developing an illness on Thursday.

Mamdooha, a daughter of Daaher owned and bred by Sheikh Maktoum’s Shadwell Stable, covered six furlongs in 1:12.13 and returned $4.40 as the favorite.

“On paper we liked her, but on the inner track you do look at that for sure,” said Magnuson, referring to the sometimes speed-favoring nature of the surface. “No instructions for Eddie; she likes to kind of stalk a little bit and it worked out well. He was saving ground, took some dirt, then had to swing out - a little worrisome, but boy she really came home well.”

Magnuson said he was also happy with the performance of Sustainable, who was coming off a 10 1/4-length defeat to Gracer in the Dearly Precious last month.

“Getting better all the time; nice filly, really happy with her,” Magnuson said. “Going the right way.”