Black Tide to show speed in Danger's Hour Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It’s no secret who will be in front early in Sunday’s $100,000 Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct. The mystery is whether Black Tide will still be in front at the finish of the one-mile race, the first turf stakes of the year in New York.

Black Tide, a 7-year-old New York-bred gelding by Hold Me Back, will be allowed to roll on the lead for as long as he can under Kendrick Carmouche in the Danger’s Hour. There doesn’t look to be much speed among the other five horses entered for the turf. Two horses were entered to run only if the race is moved to the main track.

In 2017, Black Tide went 5 for 10, employing that catch-me-if-you-can style. Trainer David Cannizzo turned Black Tide out for several months, and he believes that cost the horse during his 6-year-old season. He recorded only one victory, a front-running score in the Ashley T. Cole at Belmont in September.

“He’s one of those horses that has to be so fit for the way he runs, and I literally didn’t have him ready until the end of August, probably,” Cannizzo said.

This time, after Black Tide was eased in the Alex M. Robb on dirt Dec. 29, Cannizzo kept the gelding in training. He shows 10 works for this race.

“He’s ready to go. He should be a long way in front; we’re not changing our tactics,” Cannizzo said. “Last year, we got away from letting him run his race. We were trying to make him rate and make him a better horse, and it didn’t work out. We’re going to let him do what he wants to do.”

Unlike several entrants who are coming back from an extended layoff, Inspector Lynley is wheeling back just 15 days after he finished sixth in the Muniz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds on March 23.

“I was just disappointed in the way he ran in New Orleans,” trainer Shug McGaughey said. “He didn’t seem to take much out of himself. If we thought he was okay, we’d give it a chance.”

Inspector Lynley is winless in six tries at the one-mile distance.

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McGaughey said jockey Jose Lezcano will “have to be a little aggressive leaving the gate.”

“Maybe we’ll be laying in behind [Black Tide] and whatever he does and go from there,” he said.

Maraud, a multiple graded stakes winner as a 3-year-old, returns from a seven-month layoff for trainer Todd Pletcher. He has competed in seven consecutive graded races.

Multiplier, making his first start for Bill Mott after running last year for Peter Miller, is a new gelding. He makes his first start since running 10th in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile last fall at Keeneland.

Awesome Saturday and Coltandmississippi are the other two entered for the turf. Tour de Force and Killybegs Captain are the main-track-only entrants.