Borrowing Base has distance edge

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - With her record of just 5 wins from 41 starts, it's hard to say that Borrowing Base is ever at an advantage. But her proficiency at 1 1/8 miles - at least compared to the rest of the field - appears to give Borrowing Base an edge in Sunday's $75,000 Montauk Handicap at Aqueduct.

The Montauk, restricted to New York-bred fillies and mares, is the featured event on Aqueduct's nine-race card Sunday, the final day of racing over the main track. Racing moves to the inner track on Wednesday.

Borrowing Base, a 5-year-old daughter of Personal Flag, is 2 for 6 at 1 1/8 miles, while her eight rivals combined are 1 for 7 at the distance.

"That's definitely her strength, the longer the better," said Pat Quick, trainer of Borrowing Base.

Borrowing Base finished third in this race last year, beaten just a half-length by Ice Cool Kitty, with some trouble, Quick said.

"We had to change direction twice in the stretch," he said. "That cost us that little half-length."

Borrowing Base has made her last three starts on turf, but only because Quick couldn't find a suitable dirt race for her. On Aug. 25, Borrowing Base won a first-level allowance race at Saratoga that, because the field had 10 entrants, carried a purse of $100,000. In her next dirt start, she finished fourth in the Saratoga Dew for New York-breds, a race in which she was compromised by a speed-favoring track.

"Speed was holding that day, she was back pretty far," Quick said. "She was closing, but it wasn't the best day for a closer."

Morning Glory is the only other horse in the field with a victory at 1 1/8 miles. That win came at Aqueduct in 2005. She is 0 for 11 this year. Her last victory came in a one-mile allowance race here last Nov. 21.

My Dinah has recorded two of her three victories over Aqueduct's main track, and comes off a third-place finish to By the Light in the Flip's Pleasure Stakes here at one mile. Being by Victory Gallop, My Dinah may like the nine furlongs in her first try at the distance.

Twistaway and Here Comes Rita could be the main speed in the race. Twistaway was diagnosed with an illness following a second-level allowance loss at Belmont on Oct. 9, and assistant trainer Tonja Terranova said it was a rush job to get her to the Staten Island Stakes here on Nov. 9, when she finished fourth.