Caldwell Luvs Gold, Striker Has Dial switching back to dirt

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York-breds Caldwell Luvs Gold and Striker Has Dial both return to the dirt as they face open company going seven furlongs in Friday’s first-level allowance feature on a 10-race Aqueduct program. First post Friday is 11:40 a.m. for a card that includes four races brought back from the Dec. 5 card that was canceled due to high winds.

Caldwell Luvs Gold, a daughter of Goldencents trained by Brad Cox, is a two-time New York-bred stakes winner on dirt having captured the Seeking the Ante at Saratoga in 2023 and the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes in July.

After running fifth in the Fleet Indian Stakes at 1 1/8 miles last summer, Caldwell Luvs Gold was moved to the turf, where she ran a respectable third in the Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks before finishing sixth in the Ticonderoga. In her last start at seven furlongs on dirt in June, Caldwell Luvs Gold finished second to Landed in the Bouwerie Stakes over a muddy Saratoga main track. Landed came back to win the Fleet Indian Stakes going nine furlongs at Saratoga.

Manny Franco rides Caldwell Luvs Gold for Cox, who is 7 for 17 at the Aqueduct meet with only two runners having finished worse than third.

Striker Has Dial has not finished worse than third in five dirt tries. Trainer Horacio De Paz tried her on the turf, where she finished fourth and seventh, respectively, in two allowance tries.

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On dirt, Striker Has Dial won her debut going seven furlongs at Laurel Park and has finished second to Ways and Means, a subsequent Grade 1 winner, and Miss Justify, who since beating Striker Has Dial in the Wilton Stakes has won the Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The last time Striker Has Dial raced on dirt, she finished second to Brzina in an allowance race at Parx on Sept. 21. Brzina has since come back to win a starter allowance/optional $20,000 claimer at Laurel on Dec. 6. Whohoo Jackie Blue, third in that Sept. 21 race, won her next two starts and the fourth-place finisher, Eclair Blanc, won her next start, albeit at a much lower level.

Kendrick Carmouche rides Striker Has Dial from post 7.

De Paz also starts Awesome Czech, who has made her last nine starts on turf, winning three of them. In her last start on dirt, Awesome Czech finished second in a maiden race at Saratoga on Aug. 23, 2023.

Trainer Linda Rice has the coupled entry of Save Us Melania and All Class. Both have similar front-running styles. Save Us Melania was claimed for $20,000 and won an open allowance by five lengths in her first start off the claim.

All Class will be making her first start off the claim for Rice, who took the daughter of Kantharos for $62,500 from Saffie Joseph Jr. off a winning effort at Keeneland on Oct. 26.

Reliable Lady and She’s a Tempest, second and third, respectively, in this condition on Nov. 17, and My Girl Jal complete the field.

Civaci to ride at Aqueduct

Sahin Civaci, who will finish as the leading rider at Woodbine when that meet ends Sunday, will ride the winter at Aqueduct for the first time. He is looking to start on Dec. 27, when racing resumes at Aqueduct following an 11-day break after Sunday’s program.

Civaci said he was enticed to come to New York by trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci, who is from Turkey, where Civaci spent several years after being born in Canada.

“It’s a good step up for me, it’s going to be exciting. I look forward to it,” Civaci said this week.

Civaci entered the final weekend of racing at Woodbine with 160 wins, 25 more than Rafael Hernandez. In 2023, Civaci finished second at Woodbine to Kazushi Kimura.

Civaci did not ride last winter due to a delay in obtaining his visa. Before that, he wintered at Turf Paradise.

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Civaci, who will be represented by Mike Sellitto, said he understands the degree of difficulty riding on a new circuit for the first time.

“I’m used to that,” Civaci said. “For me, everything starts off slowly and I build it up from there. I won’t be surprised if I’m not riding as much as I used to. I’m fine with that. I like to build it up slowly and build relationships with owners and trainers.

Civaci is one of three Woodbine riders expected to join the Aqueduct colony for the winter. Hernandez and Sofia Vives, second and fourth, respectively, in the Woodbine standings are also wintering at Aqueduct.

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