Aqueduct: Miss Da Point tough on inner track for one-mile feature

If you write it, they will come. That certainly proved to be the case when an overflow field of 13 New York-bred fillies and mares entered for Sunday’s $61,000, one-mile feature at Aqueduct.

Tahoe Tigress, who is among three on the also-eligible list, is the only one in for the optional $75,000 claiming tag. The rest are eligible for a third-level allowance – believed to be first of its kind for New York-breds on the circuit – are nonwinners of four races, or are nonwinners of a $46,000 winner’s share since Oct. 1.

That last bit of legalese admits Miss Da Point, who has won three straight, capped by the $75,000 Judy Soda overnight stakes on Jan. 5, for which she earned $45,000.

Miss Da Point was coming back on 10 days’ rest in the Judy Soda, which upped her record on the inner track to 4 wins from 7 starts and gave apprentice Emmanuel Esquivel his first career stakes victory.

Miss Da Point also won the Our Shopping Spree with five days between starts last winter, in addition to an optional $75,000 claimer off a 46-day break last Feb. 15.

“She seems to have an affinity for the inner track,” trainer John Toscano Jr. said.

Hot Stones, who was entered on a Feb. 3 card that was canceled due to inclement weather, also has been idle for seven weeks. She stretched out successfully on Jan. 4 to handle open first-level allowance milers by nearly five lengths. A homebred daughter of unbeaten 2008 Carter Handicap winner Bustin Stones, Hot Stones has won three of her last four starts, the only loss a runner-up finish to La Verdad, who carried a five-race winning streak into Saturday’s Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel Park.

“She’s the best Bustin Stones I’ve got,” trainer Bruce Levine said. “I think she’ll be a stakes horse down the road with a little more experience. They’re all precocious, kind of like him.”

Hot Rendezvous, whose only loss from four starts since mid-November was a troubled-trip fifth in the Judy Soda, breaks from the rail for trainer Gary Contessa.

Hot Splash, coming off a huge 11-length score with a lifetime top 85 Beyer Speed Figure second off the claim for Jason Servis, breaks from post 2 with leading apprentice Taylor Rice.

Royal Suspicion and Vicki’s Dancer also loom contenders among the diverse group.

Seven probable for Gotham

Fields are taking shape for next Saturday’s graded stakes tripleheader of the Gotham, Tom Fool, and Top Flight.

The Grade 3, $500,000, Gotham for 3-year-olds offers 85 Kentucky Derby qualifying points (50-20-10-5). Probable for the 1 1/16-mile race are Deceived, Extrasexyhippzster, Financial Mogul, In Trouble, Master Lightning, Surfing U S A, and Uncle Sigh.

Expected for the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool are Candyman E, Dads Caps, Jake N Elwood, Moonlight Song, Non Stop, and Strapping Groom.

At this point, Centring, Royal Lahaina, and Teen Pauline are the only confirmed starters for the Grade 2, $200,000 Top Flight.

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