Aqueduct: Sliver and Onions among contenders in Thursday allowance

Two first-level $77,000 allowance races at a mile are co-featured on Thursday’s program at Aqueduct.

Eight entered the male division, carded as race 8. It is a competitive event where Freeride, Go Canes Go, Nevada Kid, and Sliver and Onions are closely matched, and Third Knight isn’t far behind.

Sliver and Onions began his career with two runner-up finishes at Belmont – the first to Eastwood, who came back to win an allowance race, and the second to $350,000 colt Touchofstarquality – before graduating by four lengths at Saratoga

“I knew it would be our turn sooner or later,” said trainer Mike Hushion. “In both those races it was a good horse that beat him.”

Racing with blinkers on three weeks ago, Sliver and Onions was a wide third to Long River, a Darley Stable homebred who appears headed back to stakes.

The Fair Hill-based Freeride makes his second start back from a layoff for Tony Dutrow after a rallying for second to the unbeaten Confrontation.

Indy Sea, Reaching Out, and Springcourt complete the field. Springcourt won twice at Aqueduct last fall and comes off a pair of stretch-running wins at Belmont against cheaper for Gary Gullo.

The filly-and-mare division begins the late pick four. Handicappers will have a tough time finding a single among the nine entrants, as a handful of them have recorded similar Beyer Speed Figures in the low 80s recently.

Among them is Tiz Teresa, who switches from turf to dirt after being purchased and turned over to Eddie Kenneally. This will be the first start beyond seven furlongs for the daughter of Tiznow.

“Her pedigree says she should have no problem with dirt, and she has worked well on dirt,” said Kenneally. “The distance is an unknown, but we’ll give it a shot and see if it can open another avenue for her.”

Also moving back to dirt is Dreaming of Cara. She has spent most of the year in New York-bred stakes for Mitch Friedman, climaxed by a tough-trip seventh in the Ticonderoga when boxed in through the stretch.

Tahoe Tigress is 3 for 3 at a mile, including two early-summer allowance wins off a claim by Jeremiah Englehart. This will be her first start since a fifth in the Saratoga Dew in late August.

Other contenders include last-out winners Dulcedumbre and My Sparky, and likely pacesetter Currency Union, who was nosed at six furlongs last month.

Pinot Grigio, Ruby Lips, and Saturday Nthe Park also were entered.