Cash doesn't rule out kick turnaround for Pirate Rick in Toboggan
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Pirate Rick was visually impressive winning a third-level allowance race Sunday at Aqueduct by seven lengths. Given his affinity for wheeling horses back on short rest, trainer Lynn Cash did not take offense when asked if he would run Pirate Rick back in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan Stakes here.
“It’s a fair question,” Cash said, still standing in Aqueduct’s makeshift winner’s circle.
He didn’t rule it out, though twice previously he’s wheeled Pirate Rick back on six days’ rest and the horse didn’t run well either time.
“I’m going to look at it, though,” Cash said. “I don’t know if he likes the seven furlongs though. From this, it looks like he gets it. He apparently likes this track.”
Pirate Rick, based in Maryland with Cash, won a second-level allowance here Dec. 30 by one length, running six furlongs in 1:10.40. Sunday, he ran six furlongs in 1:10.36 and earned a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure.
“That was a graded performance,” Cash said.
Sunday’s win was the fourth straight for Pirate Rick, who Cash trains for a partnership that includes Built Write Stables. Prior to his pair of wins here, Pirate Rick won allowance races at Mountaineer and Mahoning Valley.
Cash had Pirate Rick entered in Saturday’s Fire Plug Stakes at Laurel Park but scratched in favor of Sunday’s race.
“I think he would have won the stakes,” Cash said. “It’s only $6,000 or $8,000 difference in money, and it was a softer spot.”
◗ Jose Gomez, a finalist for the Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding apprentice jockey, received a two-week extension of his apprenticeship and will retain his five-pound weight allowance through Feb. 9, according to agent Angel Cordero Jr. The extension was granted due to canceled race days during the Aqueduct 2021-22 winter meet and for lost days when Gomez had COVID during the summer at Saratoga.
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