City Man and Runaway Rumour will both be looking to pull off title defenses Sunday when they run in the respective $200,000 Mohawk and $200,000 Ticonderoga at Aqueduct. The turf routes for New York-breds are part of the Empire State Shpowcase program of eight restricted stakes worth a cumulative $1.6 million. The Mohawk, which is for 3-year-olds and up, and the Ticonderoga, which is restricted to fillies and mares, will both be run over 1 1/16 miles. City Man and Runaway Rumour are shortening up in distance after efforts at 1 1/8 miles. Runaway Rumour was a winner in the John Hettinger on Sept. 25 at Aqueduct. She defeated some of the same foes she will meet again in the 10-horse Ticonderoga. “She ran a super race last time,” trainer Linda Rice said. “She handled the mile and an eighth beautifully.” The victory came on firm turf, and she might not see the same kind of ground Sunday. “I think the turf course could be a bit yielding, soft, because of the rain we have had,” Rice said. “She’s handled that nicely. That’s what she likes. She’s got a lot of European pedigree that lends itself to a softer course, a yielding course. Hopefully, we’ll see a big performance out of her.” Runaway Rumour is a daughter of Flintshire, a English-bred runner who earned more than $9.5 million and raced in both Europe and the United Stakes. Runaway Rumour’s dam, Elusive Rumour, has produced another Ticonderoga winner in Myhartblongstodady. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Jose Lezcano has the mount on Runaway Rumour for her breeder, Lawrence Goichman. Runaway Rumour could get a stalking trip behind Whatloveslookslike, who set the pace last out in the Hettinger, and Spungie, who raced in second throughout in the same race. Silver Skillet also could be prominent. Silver Skillet was second last out in the Winter Memories, a mile turf race against open rivals Sept. 15 at Aqueduct. The Winter Memories was for 3-year-olds fillies. Prior to that, Silver Skillet was a stakes winner over 3-year-old fillies bred in New York – at the same distance of the Ticonderoga. Joel Rosario has the mount for trainer Christophe Clement. Clement and Rosario also will team with City Man, who is coming off a third-place finish in the Ashley T. Cole at 1 1/8 miles on Oct. 6 at Aqueduct. The winner of the race, Spirit of St Louis, and the runner-up, Jerry the Nipper, both are back for the Mohawk. City Man is the class of the field as a Grade 2 winner of $1.2 million. He is shortening up to a distance over which he has had a good deal of success, winning back-to-back New York-bred stakes at 1 1/16 miles in May and August. In one race he won over runner-up Spirit of St Louis and in the other over runner-up Jerry the Nipper. City Man will break from post 2 in the field of eight Sunday. Spirit of St Louis, who is a full brother to Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold, is a newcomer to the division. He was making his stakes debut in the West Point in August at Saratoga and finished 1 1/4 lengths behind City Man. On the move to 1 1/8 miles for the Ashley T. Cole, Spirit of St Louis stalked the pace for a 1 1/4-length win and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 97. It’s also the best last-race turf Beyer in the Mohawk. Manny Franco has the mount for trainer Chad Brown. Jerry the Nipper registered his last win at the Mohawk distance, in an allowance against open company July 30 at Saratoga. He is looking for his first stakes win after placing in five such races. Jose Ortiz has the mount for trainer Todd Pletcher. The field also includes Kaz Sugar Bank, one of at least two stakes starters on the card out of the multiple Grade 1-winning mare Spun Sugar, who earned $929,171. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.