Deep field for season's first turf stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sunday’s $100,000 Danger’s Hour, the first turf stakes of the year on this circuit, came up a deep race with the return of Grade 1 winner Mo Town, two-time Danger’s Hour winner Macagone, horse-for-course Fire Away, and the graded-stakes-winning Projected part of the contingent entered in the one-mile race.

The Danger’s Hour, which drew nine for the turf and two for only the main track, will be run on the outer turf course, which was first utilized last fall.

Mo Town, who faltered on the Triple Crown trail last year, found a new lease on life when transferred to the turf by trainer Tony Dutrow. He won an allowance race at Belmont before shipping west to win the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar.

Dutrow said he is using this race as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Man o’ War at 1 3/8 miles at Belmont on May 12.

Fire Away and Macagone have combined to win 7 of 8 races on turf at Aqueduct. All those races were run on what is now known as the inner turf.

Fire Away, a 6-year-old son of War Front, capped his 5-year-old season with a one-length victory in the one-mile Artie Schiller Stakes here last Nov. 18. He made his seasonal debut in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay, where he finished third behind 2017 male turf champion World Approval. Fire Away had to check at the quarter pole when his stablemate Doctor Mounty fell after clipping heels with World Approval.

“It didn’t cost us the win, but it cost us being a lot closer,” trainer Shug McGaughey said.

McGaughey said Fire Away has moved forward since that race.

“He’s done awfully well at Payson, shipped up fine,” McGaughey said. “He should be a formidable foe.”

Macagone, front-running winner of both the 2016 and 2017 Danger’s Hour, makes his first start since finishing last in the West Point at Saratoga on Aug. 25. Trainer Bill Mott said Macagone was turned out for a couple of months, and noted he “was almost ready to run a month ago.”

“He’s got a lot of training in him,” Mott said.

KEY CONTENDERS
Fire Away, by War Front

Last 3 Beyers: 97-102-95

◗ Should get a quick pace to close into with Great Wide Open, Hit It Once More, Secretary At War, and Macagone in field.

Mo Town, Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 100-102-88

◗ While Dutrow said Mo Town “couldn’t be doing any better,” he is somewhat concerned about the mile being a bit short for him.

“I don’t think that a mile is his best distance by any means, but I think it’s fine to start him there,” Dutrow said.

◗ As the co-highweight at 123 pounds, he is giving up to eight pounds to some of his opponents.

Projected, by Showcasing
Last 3 Beyers: 97-95-98

◗ Took advantage of quick pace to win a Grade 2 stakes at Laurel last Sept. 30 and has been freshened since.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Trainer Chad Brown is 4 for 19 with a $1.58 ROI over the last three years bringing a horse back in a non-graded stakes off a layoff of 180 days or greater.