Aqueduct: Recent company lines of Saturday's Charm stand out

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It would not have been out of line had Saturday’s Charm been entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan Handicap at Aqueduct.

However, the connections opted for a softer spot in Friday’s $64,000 feature for sprinters that have never won three races or whose connections want to risk losing them for a claiming tag of $35,000.

Despite being the richest race on the card, the allowance feature goes as the first.

Saturday’s Charm won an optional claimer over Aqueduct’s main track Nov. 10. Since then, he finished second to Last Gunfighter in the Raymond Earl Stakes on Dec. 9 and third behind Head Heart Hoof and Royal Currier in the True and Blue Stakes on Jan. 9. Last Gunfighter came back to win the Evening Attire Stakes. The True and Blue, run in 1:09.10, was the fastest six furlongs run since the inner track opened Dec. 12.

In each of his last three starts, Saturday’s Charm broke from the rail. Friday, he will break from the outside post in a six-horse field.

“He’s not the sharpest breaker,” said Toby Sheets, the New York-based assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. “I think being off the rail will help him.”

The question for Saturday’s Charm may be if six furlongs is too short a distance for him. Both of his wins have come at seven furlongs.

“We’re going to find out,” Sheets said.

Junior Alvarado will ride Saturday’s Charm.

Driven by Solar, Rigby, and Dr Disco are all winners of seven or more races and are entered for the $35,000 claiming price.

Driven by Solar has a win and a second in two starts since being claimed by trainer David Jacobson on Nov. 28. The 7-year-old Driven by Solar looks like the one to catch from the rail.

Rigby, a former Asmussen-trainee, drops to his lowest level in a year. He was taken for $50,000 by Eddie Kenneally on Dec. 7 and ran seventh as the 3-5 favorite when running under allowance conditions last out.

Dr Disco hasn’t shown quite the same speed he used to in the past, but he is a five-time winner over the inner track and gets in light with seven-pound apprentice Guillermo Rodriguez up.

Vexor, winner of the Grade 3 Nashua at Belmont in fall 2011, seeks his first win since then for trainer John Kimmel. Reserved Quality makes his second start off the claim for Dominick Schettino.