Aqueduct: Praetereo finds better spot in Spooky Mulder

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – In a scene that figures to play out often here this winter, trainers David Jacobson and Rudy Rodriguez will play a game of two-on-two Friday when they run four of the five horses entered in the $100,000 Spooky Mulder Stakes at Aqueduct.

In this instance, Jacobson looks to have the stronger hand, led by Praetereo, who comes in off a sharp third-level allowance victory over the main track Nov. 8. Jacobson also has entered Candyman E, a horse he claimed out of a winning effort at Belmont Park on Oct. 26.

Rodriguez counters with Sage Valley, winner of two Grade 3 stakes earlier this year who has gone off form recently, and Dads Caps, who comes off a second-level allowance victory over the main track. Sam Sparkle, a mid-level claimer making his second start for David Cannizzo, completes the field.

Jacobson, who claimed Praetereo for $62,500 in July, felt good enough about the 5-year-old horse to enter him in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile on Nov. 30. But that field came up super tough and Jacobson scratched.

“It was such a spectacular [field] I thought it was in his best interests to find an easier spot,” Jacobson said.

Three starts back, Praetereo finished second to Caixa Eletronica in the Duck Dance Stakes at Belmont. The third-place finisher from that race, Star Harbour, came back to win Sunday’s Sunshine Stakes at Gulfstream.

Praetereo earned a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure winning a seven-furlong allowance race here five weeks ago, his first win in six starts since Jacobson claimed him.

“I knew we had a good one when we claimed him, but I was disappointed in his first couple of races,” Jacobson said. “They were okay, but I was expecting more. That last race was the horse I thought I had.”

This will be Praetereo’s 29th career start, but first at six furlongs.

“I would like seven-eighths, but he’s just a really good horse. It won’t hurt him,” Jacobson said. “They’re really going to have to run to beat him.”

Jacobson scratched Candyman E out of an optional claimer on Sunday and will run him in this spot.

Sage Valley won the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Handicap on Preakness Day at Pimlico and the Grade 3 James Marvin at Saratoga, both at seven furlongs. He has caught wet tracks in his last three starts, and Rodriguez is hoping that is what contributed to poor finishes those races. He is adding blinkers to Sage Valley’s equipment for Friday.

“We’re trying blinkers to sharpen him up a little bit,” Rodriguez said. “He’s been breaking a little slow the last couple of times in the slop.”
Dads Caps, who went 2 for 2 over the inner track last winter, is coming off a second-level allowance win over the main track Nov. 16. He figures to be gunned to the front by C.C. Lopez, breaking from the rail.