Aztec Brave gives trainer Sharp first New York victory

Aztec Brave helped make trainer Joe Sharp a winner in his debut on the New York Racing Association circuit, taking Sunday’s $100,000 Danger’s Hour at Aqueduct by 1 1/4 lengths.

Sent to the front right out of the gate by Manuel Franco, Aztec Brave set modest early fractions of 25.44 seconds for the quarter, 50.82 for the half, and 1:14.42 for six furlongs, before turning back a midstretch challenge from Chamois. Chamois finished second by two lengths over his stablemate, Lubash, the 8-year-old New York-bred millionaire who was sent off the 4-5 favorite.

Aztec Brave, a French-bred gelding by Pyrus, covered the mile in 1:37.65 over firm turf and returned $10.

Sharp scratched Aztec Brave out of Saturday’s $100,000 Henry Clark at Pimlico for this spot.

“This race set up a little better for him. He’s not a horse that has to have the lead, but if given the lead, he’s tough to get by,” Sharp said by phone from Keeneland, where he went 1-2-2 from six starters there Sunday. “Franco rode him great today. The horse has just continued to mentally progress and settle. He’s definitely going in the right direction.”

Sharp’s career has gone in the right direction since going out on his own last fall, winning races at 25 percent clip wile based primarily in Kentucky and New Orleans.

He plans to have 20 head stabled this spring and summer in New York, running his first two races on Sunday’s card. After Aztec Brave’s victory, Nile Empress finished fourth in race 8.

“I spent the last three years up there for Mike Maker, and I’m looking forward to being up there on my own,” said Sharp, who will split his stable between Belmont and Saratoga.