Battle Station, Stoney Bennett bring a little less to Rego Park Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainers Wesley Ward and Ollie Figgins III have made key changes to their 3-year-olds hoping to turn around their fortunes in Sunday’s $100,000 Rego Park Stakes for New York-breds at Aqueduct.

Ward has made the ultimate change on Battle Station, having had the horse gelded since his fourth-place finish in the Damon Runyon Stakes here Jan. 15. Though Battle Station was already a stakes winner, Ward convinced owner Ken Ramsey that he didn’t see him having a future as a stallion and that gelding Battle Station might make him a better horse.

“It usually helps,” Ward said. “He had a really good breeze since being gelded.”

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Figgins is making a less-drastic move on Stoney Bennett: removing blinkers after having added them for the Great White Way division of New York Stallion Series on Dec. 17. Stoney Bennett finished last of seven as the 3-5 favorite.

“He ran off the first part of the race and by the time he got to the three-eighths pole he was just shot,” Figgins said. “He came out of the race super. I went over him with a fine-tooth comb and he’s been training super up to this race.”

Prior to the Great White Way, Stoney Bennett finished second as the 4-5 favorite in the Notebook Stakes, beaten a length by Sea Foam. That day, Stoney Bennett came from off the pace.

“Honestly, I’d love to be sitting off of two horses Sunday,” Figgins said.

Morning Breez, third in the Damon Runyon and Notebook, also looks to have early speed.

There is rain in the Sunday forecast, creating the possibility of a wet track.

“He’s always trained good in the slop,” Figgins said. “I don’t think that hurts us.”

New York Hero returns from an 80-day layoff for trainer Linda Rice while Analyze Your Luck returns from a 240-day layoff for trainer Todd Pletcher. Analyze Your Luck won his debut in the slop at Belmont last May.

KEY CONTENDERS

Stoney Bennett, by Bustin Stones
Last 3 Beyers: 0-79-68

◗ A three-time beaten favorite, he tries to make amends with Trevor McCarthy up.

◗ Could get a favorable pace scenario if able to sit off horses as he did two starts back.

Battle Station, by Warrior’s Reward
Last 3 Beyers: 62-78-53

◗ Cuts back to six furlongs, a distance that is likely more favorable to him than the mile of the Damon Runyon.

◗ Likely a pace factor breaking from the rail under Martin Garcia.

New York Hero, by Mineshaft
Last 3 Beyers: 72-78-59

◗ Rice showed her prowess bringing horses back off a layoff when Holiday Disguise captured Thursday’s Biogio’s Rose.

◗ Likely to try to come from off the pace under Junior Alvarado.