Aqueduct: Street Lord has momentum in Sunday feature

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A quadruple set of conditions helped draw eight New York-breds to Sunday’s $61,000 featured event at Aqueduct, including four stakes winners, two of which are 8-year-old geldings.

But it may be the youngest and least experienced member of the field that will walk away with the top prize in the one-mile race.

Street Lord, a 4-year-old gelding by Street Hero, has run three solid races this winter, finally breaking through the statebred second-level allowance condition in his last start on Feb. 10. He is eligible Sunday under both the third-level allowance and non-winners of four races lifetime conditions of this race. He has two wins and two seconds from four dirt starts since trainer Charlton Baker added blinkers to his equipment last fall.

“I like the spot; it’s a little tough but he’s an improving horse,” said Baker, who entered Friday’s card with 10 wins from 39 starts, tying him for seventh in the trainer standings. “He should be able to move forward in that race.”

Baker said the blinkers he uses on Street Lord are thin cups, commonly called cheaters. He believes maturity equally, if not more than the blinkers, has helped Street Lord improve.

“He kind of waits for horses when he goes by them and he has some quirks,” Baker said. “He can be a good horse once he puts it all together.”

Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard Street Lord when he won here on Feb. 10, is serving a suspension but his brother, Jose, has picked up the mount.

Among the hard-knocking runners in this field are the David Jacobson-trained uncoupled entry of the 8-year-old Spa City Fever and the 7-year-old Johannesburg Smile. Both stakes winners are being offered for the $75,000 claiming tag.

Spa City Fever won two open optional claimers over the main track six days apart in late November and early December. He came back on Dec. 14 – his third start in 17 days – and finished third in the Queens County Stakes.

“He needed a break and we’re bringing him back,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson said he hopes he has been able to do enough training with Spa City Fever, given the difficult weather conditions horsemen in New York have been dealing with this winter. Taylor Rice rides Spa City Fever from the rail.

Jacobson claimed Johannesburg Smile for $100,000 last Dec. 4, the day he finished fifth behind Spa City Fever. He ran him in the Hollie Hughes Stakes going six furlongs, where he finished fourth behind stablemate Be Bullish. He has had most of his success in races at a mile or further.

“This is the kind of race we got him for, the high-priced claimer, New York-bred races,” Jacobson said. “He definitely will improve off that last race.”

Cornelio Velasquez rides from post 8.

The 8-year-old Uncle T Seven is a five-time stakes winner, but has been well off-form. He should appreciate getting back around two turns.
Modern Child, Socialsaul, Bake Shop, and Idle American complete the field.