Disco's Son looking for dry track

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Considering this is the final week of a six-month run at Aqueduct, Thursday's card came up strong with four allowance races and the first 2-year-old race of the local season.

The highlight is a $49,000 third-level allowance/optional claimer carded as race 6. The field of seven older males includes the Gary Contessa-trained entry of Mr. Madison and Starforaday, and either Lord Snowdon (probably if it's wet) or Suave Jazz (if it's dry), since Tony Dutrow named Ramon Dominguez on both 6-year-old geldings.

Those four can all be classified as late-runners who would love to see Sixthirteen and Disco's Son duke it out for the early lead.

Sixthirteen showed brilliant speed winning three in a row last summer for trainer Mike Hushion. He had a useful effort in his first start of the year, arguing the pace with Per Incanto, who is eyeing next week's Westchester at Belmont Park.

Disco's Son's first three victories came on the lead, but he won from just off the pace at Gulfstream last month in his first start since Saratoga in 2007 and first as a gelding.

"He hit himself leaving the gate at Saratoga and sustained a soft-tissue injury," trainer Phil Serpe explained, "and we were bringing him back last year when he got hurt again. Luckily, Edgar [Prado] was able to throttle him down; they all change a little bit, especially when they're geldings."

With an unsettled forecast containing a chance of showers Wednesday night and into Thursday, Serpe is keeping his fingers crossed.

"I doubt I'd run him on an off track," he said. "If it's fast, I think he's going to run well."

* Conditions permitting, race 7 is a competitive second-level allowance scheduled for the turf at 1 1/16 miles.

Walkaboutt Winner, who beat recent two-time Gulfstream allowance winner Pastel Gal without being fully extended here last fall, makes her 4-year-old bow. Also making their first starts of the season are multiple turf winners Speed Dating, Ambidaxtrous, and Ocala Gator.

* Jessica Is Back, a sharp second last out, and Platinum Girl, who has never lost with the early lead, are the ones to catch in race 3, a second-level allowance at a mile.

* Wesley Ward's entry of Foot the Bill and Miss Lulu Belle (guess which is the filly) will go favored in race 2, a 4 1/2-furlong sprint for maiden 2-year-olds.