Aqueduct: Term Loan won't have it easy in Jerome

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though the race came up tougher than he originally thought, trainer Richard Violette Jr. remains enthusiastic about running Term Loan in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct.

Violette was a little surprised to see the Bob Baffert-trained duo of Stirred Up and Brigand as well as The Lumber Guy in the Jerome.

“It’s gotten significantly more competitive than it was a week ago, but I love my horse,” Violette said. “He’s doing fabulous.”

Term Loan will break from the outside post in the seven-horse field, which includes Right to Vote, third to Union Rags in the Grade 1 Champagne; Adirondack King, the lone stakes winner in the field; and longshot Dan and Sheila.

[JEROME STAKES: Download PPs for the full Saturday Aqueduct race card]

Term Loan, a son of City Place, is coming off a 4 1/2-length maiden victory over Aqueduct’s inner track on March 17. Prior to his maiden victory, Term Loan had finished second in three consecutive races after running fifth in his debut. In his one start over the main track, Term Loan finished second to Junebugred, who came out of that race to win the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn in January.

Violette said that he has seen significant changes in Term Loan the last month.

“The last race I think he finally figured it out,” Violette said. “He finished good, he galloped out good and he’s grown up a little bit too. He’s never really been a good work horse alone, but lately he has done things in the morning a lot more professionally.”

Though he has been forwardly placed in his races, Term Loan will likely have to stalk from his outside post, something Violette says “might even be better for him.”

The Lumber Guy had the outside post in the two-turn Wood Memorial, but is now is saddled with the rail in the one-turn mile Jerome. The Lumber Guy, who won his first two starts around one turn, set the pace and tired to fifth in the Wood, which was run just two weeks ago.

The rail will most likely mean Mike Luzzi – The Lumber Guy’s fourth rider in as many starts – will have to have his horse on the lead.

“Being inside speed I’m thinking anybody who wants the lead is going to have to work for it,” Hushion said.

Brigand, one of two Baffert horses who arrived from Southern California on Thursday, and Right to Vote are the other primary speed horses in the race.

Stirred Up, also trained by Baffert, could get an ideal setup. He finished third in the Sunland Park Derby after coming from off the pace to beat next-out winner Holy Candy in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Santa Anita.

A hot pace would also help Adirondack King, who returns to a one-turn race after running seventh in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn. Prior to that, he was third in the Southwest.

Servis said Adirondack King didn’t finish like he thought he would in those two races.

“I think he’ll stretch out,” Servis said. “Maybe he wasn’t quite ready for it. We’ll shorten him back to a one-turn mile and see what happens. He’s trained great and is going into the race really good.”

Jerome S. (G2), Post Time: 5:13 ET Saturday

Purse: $200,000; 1 mile

Post	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	ML Odds
	The Lumber Guy	M. Hushion	M. Luzzi	5-2
	Brigan	B. Baffert	C. Nakatani	4-1
	Stirred Up	B. Baffert	M. Garcia	2-1
	Dan and Sheila	T. Pletcher	R. Napravnik	12-1
	Right To Vote	E. Harty	A. Solis	5-1
	Adirondack King	J. Servis	K. Carmouche	12-1
	Term Loan	R. Violette	A. Garcia	8-1