OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Caroline St. Beat was a good-looking, perfect-trip winner of his career debut at Saratoga in mid-August. And then he disappeared. “Physical immaturity,” trainer Miguel Clement said as the reason for Caroline St. Beat’s layoff. Though Clement said it has been a bit of a rush job to have him ready, he’s confident Caroline St. Beat’s talent and class can prevail against more seasoned opponents in Friday’s $125,000 Notebook Stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds going a mile on turf at Aqueduct. “He’s had three real works, but because he’s so talented he could bail me out,” Clement said. “No, he’s not 100 percent, but he’s a good horse. I do think he’s an open-company stakes horse. I’m hoping his class prevails, I do think his class will prevail.” Caroline St. Beat, a son of Tiz the Law – who sired two stakes winners here last Saturday – is the first foal out of the three-time New York-bred stakes-winning mare Myhartblongstodady. In her Aug. 15 debut, Caroline St. Beat sat a perfect third behind a contested, albeit modest, pace before taking over in midstretch and drawing away once he switched leads. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. One horse out of that race, sixth-place finisher Stickupwithoutagun, came back to win his next start on dirt. Tim and Sam and Newlyn, third and fifth, respectively, in that Aug. 15 race, have also since come back to win maiden turf races. Tim and Sam is back in this race. In order to win the Notebook, Caroline St. Beat will most likely have to beat Spirit of New York, a gelding by Honest Mischief, who is 2 for 2 against New York-breds with a third-place finish in the Skidmore Stakes for open company his lone defeat. Spirit of New York, trained by Adam Rice, won the Bertram F. Bongard, handily defeating three horses – Lawyer Mason, Funny Factor, and Cristobal – who are back to challenge him Friday. Rice chose the one-mile Notebook over last Sunday’s six-furlong Awad to keep Spirit of New York with statebreds. “I feel like he would have looked good in the Awad, but if he stretches out, that will open up a few more opportunities,” Rice said. “His last race, I was really happy with it. He jumped out on top, then got a good position. The horse who was trying to catch us, I don’t think he would have made it past us.” Rice, based at Presque Isle, has had Spirit of New York at Belmont Park for several weeks. “I think his maturity has shown, had him here a couple of weeks. I’m pretty comfortable stretching him out,” Rice said. Manny Franco, who rode Spirit of New York to his Bongard win, will ride Caroline St. Beat, who he rode to his maiden victory. Ricardo Santana Jr. rides Spirit of New York from the rail. Lawyer Mason, third in the Bongard, ran up behind horses in the stretch, steadied, and came on again. John Velazquez will ride Lawyer Mason for the first time on Friday. Truman’s Commander, eighth in the Grade 2 Pilgrim, is back in with New York-breds. Chummers and Jaxer are coming out of maiden wins in their third starts. Twirling Lad is a maiden but was twice second in turf races. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.