Aqueduct: Small fields for Sunday card

Due to a perfect storm of factors – racing 10 of 11 days through next weekend, the start of turf racing pushed back to no sooner than Wood Memorial Day, and a local population of winter-weary horses – only 57 runners were entered for Sunday’s program, a mere 6.3 per race.

Of those 57 varieties, 44 are fillies and mares. Two races for males include a combined 11 3-year-olds, along with two 4-year-old geldings, both of whom run in a New York-bred maiden claimer and finished last in their most recent starts.

The number of starters is likely to shrink further still by first post, as the weather forecast calls for a 90 percent chance of rain and strong winds.

Some highlights:

◗ In the allowance opener at 1:20 p.m. Eastern, Mess in a Dress, who had lost 24 consecutive races, will try to nail down a third victory in the span of 10 days after matching her career-best Beyer Speed Figure in her first race off a claim by David Jacobson. This will be the fifth start in 28 days for the 5-year-old mare, who already has beaten three of her four opponents at least once.

◗ The seven fillies and mares in race 7, a $16,000 claimer restricted to those who have never won twice, are a combined 7 for 170.

◗ The nominal feature is race 8, a one-mile optional claimer for New York-bred fillies and mares in which the 1-3-4-6-7 finishers from a similar event March 6 will renew hostilities. Familyofroses, who finished third that afternoon for new trainer Robert Falcone Jr., figures to relish getting back to a one-turn mile, as she won twice out of the chute at Belmont last fall and finished a close second in a seven-furlong New York Stallion Series event at Aqueduct’s fall meet.

Hundred Acre Wood got away with an easy lead en route to a 14-1 win for Gary Sciacca most recently, but she may get more pace pressure this time from Typhoon Teri and She’s Stones Sis and must pick up nine pounds.

TwinSpires.com to sponsor Wood Memorial

TwinSpires.com, the advance-deposit wagering service for Churchill Downs Inc. and its family of racetracks, will serve as the title sponsor of the April 5 Wood Memorial as part of two-year partnership agreement announced Friday by the New York Racing Association.

“The Wood Memorial has traditionally been one of the most influential prep races for the Kentucky Derby, and as such, we are excited to provide TwinSpires.com players from across the country an extra rooting interest through our ‘Wood Winback’ promotion,” said Jeremy Clemons, vice president of marketing for TwinSpires.com.

“TwinSpires.com players will get all their win bets on the Wood Memorial refunded if the Wood winner goes on to win the 140th Kentucky Derby,” he said.