Arrifana brings perfect record to Comely

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After going through all of her conditions unblemished, Arrifana will make her stakes debut in Friday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Comely Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.

Arrifana, a daughter of Curlin owned by Gunpowder Farms and Millennium Farms and trained by Kelly Rubley, was one of eight 3-year-old fillies entered in the Comely, scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

Arrifana won her debut by 10 lengths at Laurel going seven furlongs before coming up to Saratoga to win a first-level allowance by two, also at seven furlongs. She then won allowance races at Laurel going a mile and 1 1/16 miles.

“I just think she’s one of the most professional fillies I’ve ever trained,” Rubley said Monday. “She takes everything in stride and seems to do everything right. So, let’s hope we can keep going.”

Since passing her two-turn test on Nov. 1 at Laurel, Arrifana has come back with two bullet half-mile workouts, both in 48.20 seconds, over the synthetic surface at Fair Hill in Maryland.

“Her works have been very impressive and somewhat easy for her, so hopefully we’ve done everything right going into this,” Rubley said.

Julian Pimentel, aboard for all four of Arrifana’s wins, has the call from post 4 on Friday.

Gold Standard and Classic Fit, second and third in the Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks, top the competition. Also entered are Stand for the Flag, Bellera, Lightscameraaction, Afleet Destiny, and Oxy Lady, last year’s Grade 3 Tempted Stakes winner.

Friday’s card, which also includes the $150,000 Gio Ponti and $150,000 Forever Together Stakes on turf, begins at 11:50 a.m.