Aqueduct: Marilyn's Guy has what it takes in As Indicated
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Marilyn’s Guy may not be fully cranked in his first start in almost 11 months. He may not have to be at his optimum to win Saturday’s $75,000 As Indicated Stakes at Aqueduct.
Marilyn’s Guy faces just four rivals – including the streaking San Pablo – in the As Indicated, which supplanted the scrapped Stymie as the feature on Saturday’s 10-race program at Aqueduct. With only five entrants, the As Indicated, at one mile, will go as race 4, keeping it out of the pick six.
Marilyn’s Guy, a 6-year-old gelded son of Yonaguska, has not raced since finishing second to Eighttofasttocatch in the Harrison E. Johnson Memorial last March 26 at Laurel Park. Before that, Marilyn’s Guy had won two consecutive optional claimers over Aqueduct’s inner track.
Marilyn’s Guy was taken for $50,000 by Michael Dubb on March 2 and turned over to Steve Asmussen for his start in the Harrison Memorial. Following the race, Marilyn’s Guy went to the sidelines with an evulsion fracture – when a piece of the bone is torn away – in a hock, and, after recovery, was sent to Tony Dutrow about three months ago.
Dutrow had the horse at Palm Meadows, where he put in a quartet of half-mile breezes before shipping to New York, where he worked another half-mile over Aqueduct’s inner track on Monday.
Dutrow said he’s not expecting Marilyn’s Guy to run his best race on Saturday, but he expects him to be more than competitive.
“He’s a quality horse, he’s got a future this spring and summer,” Dutrow said Thursday from Florida. “I haven’t taxed him, but he’s pretty much ready.”
Dutrow has tabbed C.C. Lopez to ride Marilyn’s Guy, signaling a desire to have his horse into the race early.
“I thought C.C. was the best choice I had available. I certainly think C.C. is capable,” Dutrow said. “Our horse does have speed or tactical speed. I thought it was a very nice fit.”
San Pablo, who also has speed, is clearly the horse to beat from post 2 under Cornelio Velasquez. San Pablo has won 5 of 7 starts, including three straight. The last two were open-length victories in a pair of overnight stakes similar to this when he beat three horses each time.
San Pablo seemed to have had to work harder than he should have as the 1-9 favorite in the Shots Are Ringing. Michael McCarthy, assistant trainer to Todd Pletcher, believes San Pablo has a tendency to wait on horses.
Trainer Doodnauth Shivmanagal sends out the uncoupled entry of Isn’t He Perfect and Day of Destiny. Isn’t He Perfect has twice finished behind San Pablo while Day of Destiny has been facing much cheaper.
Linebacker, claimed for $25,000 out of a win at Parx last out, completes the compact lineup.
As Indicated S., Post Time: 1:45 ET Saturday
Purse: $75,000; 1 mile
Post |
Horse |
Trainer |
Jockey |
ML Odds |
|
|
Isn't He Perfect |
D. Shivmangal |
I. Ortiz |
6-1 |
|
|
San Pablo |
T. Pletcher |
C. Velasquez |
6-5 |
|
|
Day Of Destiny |
D. Shivmangal |
E. Castro |
10-1 |
|
|
Marilyn's Guy |
A. Dutrow |
C. Lopez |
Even |
|
|
Linebacker |
P. Farro |
J. Espinoza |
10-1 |
