Brick Ambush shortens up in easier spot

Trainer Danny Gargan hopes a different kind of trip can lead to a different result when Brick Ambush tops a field of six 3-year-olds entered Sunday in a New York-bred first-level $80,000 allowance/optional-claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs that goes as the second race on Aqueduct’s eight-race card.

Brick Ambush was disqualified from second and placed last in the $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series on Dec. 16. He then stretched out to a mile in a first-level allowance and found himself dueling for the lead. Brick Ambush, who was late to change leads in that race, was overtaken by Doc Sullivan, who went on to a seven-length score over Brick Ambush. Doc Sullivan came back to run second to Pandagate in the Gander Stakes on Feb. 25.

“I didn’t want to be up on the lead chasing last time,” Gargan said. “I think he’ll sit third or fourth and have a big kick. His best race was probably seven-eighths.”

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Brick Ambush wasn’t able to run in February because Gargan’s barn was under quarantine for three weeks after one of Gargan’s horses had to be euthanized due to what was diagnosed as a case of equine herpesvirus.

Allied Attack and potentially Lotsa Trouble could be part of the pace scenario.

Allied Attack comes off a front-running victory in a six-furlong maiden race on Jan. 18, his first race on Lasix. Two starts back, Allied Attack finished third, 5 1/2 lengths behind Doc Sullivan.

Jose Gomez rides Allied Attack from post 2 for trainer Mike Maker.

Lotsa Trouble was a front-running winner of a seven-furlong maiden race on Dec. 10 in the slop at Aqueduct before finishing a well-beaten fourth in a one-mile allowance race in which Brick Ambush was second.

Heavy rain was forecast Saturday night, so it remains to be seen how or if that will impact the main track Sunday.

Always a Warrior ran too bad to be true when last in the Rego Park Stakes over a sloppy track on Jan. 28. He does get Lasix for the first time.

Mad Banker, who also gets Lasix for the first time, and Solo in Paris, fifth in a starter allowance on Feb. 19, are both in for the optional $80,000 claiming price.

In Sunday’s sixth, a New York-bred second-level allowance, Beach Boy Al looks for his second straight win on this circuit. The gelding by Unified rallied from well off the pace to win a first-level allowance by 3 1/4 lengths in the mud. Prior to that, he finished last in the same condition.

“I think the reason why he ran much better last time is Dylan [Davis] figured how he really wanted to run,” trainer Jeremiah Englehart said. “You got to get him in the clear when he’s ready to make his run. Does the wet track move him [up]? A little bit maybe – he’s got three starts and two wins.”

Excellent Timing has ample speed as does Disco Deano.

Be the Boss on Feb. 16 was second in this condition in his first run off a two-month layoff trainer Mike Maker.

Writer’s Regret scratched out of a Friday race at Aqueduct and will run here instead.

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