Aqueduct: Midnight Visit in nice spot for return

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Midnight Visit appears to have found a nice spot to make her first start in nine months and first against open company when the 4-year-old New York-bred filly takes on six rivals in Friday’s second-level allowance feature at Aqueduct.

Midnight Visit, a daughter of Henny Hughes, has won 3 of 4 career starts, with her only loss coming in the Proud Puppy Stakes at a mile and 70 yards last March. She is 3 for 3 in races run at six furlongs, the distance of Friday’s $64,000 race.

“Seems like she’s best around one turn,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who returned to New York for a few days following Monday’s Eclipse Awards ceremony in Southern California. “She’s consistently run well and is training well.”

Midnight Visit was last seen winning the Luv is Eternal Stakes by one-half length last April 3 over Aqueduct’s main track. She subsequently suffered a knee issue that required time off, Pletcher said.

Midnight Visit did win off workouts in her debut in Nov. 2010 and does own a win over the inner track. In a race seemingly void of speed, Midnight Visit has the speed to be on or near the lead and will have the services of two-time Eclipse Award winning rider Ramon Dominguez from the outside post.

Enchante made a solid New York debut last month, rallying to win a first-level allowance race by a head over Full of Gut. It was her first start for trainer Rudy Rodriguez after having been previously trained by Tom Proctor.

Super Slash is an 8-year-old daughter of Smoke Glacken making her 50th career start. She is one of two in the field being offered for the optional claiming price of $62,500. Super Slash is coming off an optional claiming victory at 17-1. Super Slash, trained by Steve Klesaris, did win a $60,000 claiming race over the inner track two years ago.

Honchis ‘n Ponchis has lost 12 consecutive starts since winning an allowance race at Churchill in November 2009. She did overcome a bad stumble to rally for third in a similar spot as this here on Jan. 2.

Joonbi makes first start off the claim for Charlton Baker. Joonbi comes off a fifth-place finish in that $50,000 claimer on Jan. 1.

Promise Me a Cat bobbled at the start of her first race back off a year-layoff last Dec. 2. She has run races in the past that make her very competitive at a price in this spot.

Honest Gold, second in the same race that Promise Me a Cat comes out of in December completes the field.