Change of Control tries to give Lovell a second stakes win this week in Autumn Days

OZONE PARK, N.Y.– Michelle Lovell began her holiday weekend in fine fashion Thursday, when Just Might won the Thanksgiving Classic at Fair Grounds. The Kentucky-based trainer hopes to end the weekend by winning a stakes at Aqueduct when she sends out Change of Control in Sunday’s $150,000 Autumn Days for fillies and mares going six furlongs on the turf.

Change of Control has not finished worse than third in eight of her nine starts this year – all but one in stakes – with the exception of an ambitious try against males in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. In June, Change of Control won the Grade 3 Intercontinental at Belmont and last month she took the Grade 3 Franklin County at Keeneland. One of the notable things about those two victories and her win in the Giant’s Causeway Stakes at Keeneland in April is that they came over less-than-firm ground, which is likely to be the course condition on Sunday.

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“She’s just a solid, very honest, very consistent horse,” Lovell said from Kentucky. “We did not think she liked soft turf, but she proved us wrong. She runs on anything.”

Change of Control, who will represent Lovell’s first starter at Aqueduct, has a stalking style that figures to serve her well breaking from the rail Sunday under Colby Hernandez.

Too Sexy and Raven’s Cry, the 1-2 finishers from the Floral Park Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 17, appear to be the two horses to beat in this eight-horse field.

Too Sexy has won three of her last four and has seemed to get better as the year has gone on.

“She’s been blooming this fall,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “She looks good. She still has a great summer coat. She looks like she’s maintained her form. She’ll run on anything, but she’s been running well on softer turf so the grass is not a concern.”

Jose Lezcano rides Too Sexy from post 3.

Raven’s Cry ran a solid second to Too Sexy in the Floral Park in what was her first try sprinting on turf. She began her U.S. campaign in the spring with two victories going a mile at Fair Grounds and Sam Houston.

Luis Saez rides Raven’s Cry for trainer Brad Cox from post 8.

Love and Thunder, Piedi Bianchi, Miss Majorette, Athwaaq, and Secure Connection complete the field.

Tepin Stakes

Mischievous Kiss beat Caironi by a half-length in the Chelsey Flower Stakes at Belmont Park on Nov. 6. Sunday, Caironi will look to turn the tables when the two head a full field of 10 2-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Tepin Stakes, the last turf stakes of the year on this circuit. The Tepin will be run at 1 1/16 miles, the same as the Chelsey Flower.

Caironi, a daughter of Cairo Prince who had won her debut going seven furlongs on turf at Belmont on Oct. 2, hit the side of the gate in the Chelsey Flower and was 12 lengths back early on under Kendrick Carmouche. Mischievous Kiss was seven lengths back, got first run on Caironi and, despite not changing leads in the stetch, held on for the victory.

Trainer Mike Miceli said Caironi was farther back early in the Chelsey Flower than he anticipated because of the gate incident.

“She made a good run, had to come wide in the stretch,” Miceli said. “He didn’t have much choice. At least she didn’t get stopped. I thought it was a very creditable race. She’s doing equally as well coming into this.”

Miceli was able to get leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. to ride Caironi on Sunday.

Mischievous Kiss, who had gotten loose and had to scratch prior to her scheduled debut during the summer at Saratoga, has gradually improved with more distance. She finished third going 5 1/2 furlongs, won a maiden race going seven furlongs, then took the Chelsey Flower. Still, trainer Bill Mott notes that Mischievous Kiss is still figuring things out.

“She hasn’t fully developed into the most mature racehorse yet,” Mott said. “That’s probably going to take some time. She’s still a baby, making mistakes.”

Vergara, a daughter of Frosted trained by Graham Motion, is coming off a maiden win going 1 1/8 miles at Laurel. Luis Saez rides from post 3.

Anador won her U.S. debut going a mile on turf at Belmont Oct. 29. Trainer Christophe Clement said the 1 1/16-mile distance and potential soft turf are both question marks for her.

She’s a Mia, Kingdom Queen, Tasweya, Louella Street, Determined Star, and Solib complete the field on turf. Waters of Merom is entered to run on the main track.