Dr. Shane should get fair shot this time
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The connections of Dr. Shane hope to close out a busy campaign in style Sunday when the colt takes on as many as a dozen challengers in the $150,000 Great White Way Division of the New York Stallion Stakes at Aqueduct.
The Great White Way, restricted to progeny of New York-based stallions and run at six furlongs, shares billing on Sunday’s card with the $100,000 East View Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies going a mile and 70 yards.
The Great White Way drew a field of 13 – including four maidens – and Dr. Shane drew the outside post. There should be at least one defection because trainer Todd Pletcher was expected to run Spooked Out in Saturday’s Damon Runyon. E J’s Legacy also was cross-entered in the Damon Runyon.
Dr. Shane, a son of Freud trained by Nick Esler, is making his eighth start of the year. Two starts back, he won the $206,000 New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes before finishing second to Sudden Surprise in the Notebook Stakes at Aqueduct. Sudden Surprise is also entered in the Great White Way.
“He got away quite easy on the lead last time,” Esler said of Sudden Surprise. “Hopefully, with that many runners, there’ll be some speed to go with him.”
Sudden Surprise, a son of Giant Surprise, is 4 for 4 sprinting, with three stakes wins. His only defeat came in the one-mile Sleepy Hollow at Belmont in October.
In the East View, which goes as race 5, trainer Charlton Baker sends out the uncoupled entry of Riot Worthy, a maiden who was second in a route race last out, and Absatootly, who defeated Riot Worthy sprinting last month. Meanwhile, John Kimmel wheels Singsong back nine days after she won a maiden race going long.
KEY CONTENDERS
GREAT WHITE WAY
Dr. Shane (Last 3 Beyers: 74-68-68)
◗ Improving colt has come from off the pace in his last two, both stakes.
“I think what helps him the most to move forward is learning to rate,” Esler said.
◗ He is expected to get a 45- to 60-day break after this race, with the likelihood of trying turf in 2016.
Sudden Surprise (Last 3 Beyers: 78-78-82)
◗ Has flashed good early speed to win all four of his sprint races, ranging in distance from 5 1/2 furlongs to seven furlongs.
◗ Was cross-entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Damon Runyon Stakes but was expected to run here for owner-breeder Mike Repole, who stands Sudden Surprise’s sire, Giant Surprise.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Sudden Surprise. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 34-4-8-6 with a $0.46 ROI over the past five years in sprints on the Aqueduct inner dirt track in races restricted to New York-breds. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Gaming (Last 3 Beyers: 66-59-54)
◗ He is winless in four starts, but his Beyer Speed Figures have ascended each time he’s run, and he’s coming off a nose loss to the well-bet Fumin Newman in a maiden sprint here Dec. 12 while finishing 4 3/4 lengths clear of the rest of the field.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 11 Lucky Lurie. Trainer Mark Hennig is 11-5-2-2 with a $4.37 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints at Aqueduct following a layoff of between 61 and 180 days. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
EAST VIEW
Riot Worthy (Last 3 Beyers: 55-57-46)
◗ Though still a maiden, she ran second twice in an 18-day period after missing some training in early November while owner-trainer Baker was in the process of privately purchasing the filly from south Florida connections.
◗ Was stuck behind horses before getting out and chasing the eventual winner through the stretch when second going two turns for the first time Dec. 16.
“We got caught flatfooted when that horse made her move,” Baker said. “She had to chase that horse instead of that horse chasing us.”
◗ Manny Franco replaces Eric Cancel in the saddle.
Absatootly (Beyers: 62-54)
◗ Though Baker believes this filly might be best sprinting, she is by Mineshaft, and this field did not come up particularly strong.
“I think she’s more of a sprinter, but the nominations came up so weak, and a lot of these horses are running back quick,” Baker said. “I thought I’d give her a shot.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Absatootly. Trainer Charlie Baker is 9-0-1-0 over the past five years at NYRA tracks going sprint to route with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Singsong (Last 3 Beyers: 54-63-63)
◗ Daughter of Unbridled’s Song recorded a 2 3/4-length front-running score in her first try going two turns on dirt.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Singsong. Trainer John Kimmel is 11-0-1-0 over the past five years with juveniles coming off a win; he’s also 23-1-3-4 with a $0.42 ROI over the past five years with horses returning within 14 days of their previous start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Eloweasel. Trainer Patrick Quick is 62-1-7-7 with a $0.72 ROI over the past five years going turf to dirt in routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Backwood Bay. Trainer Linda Rice is 16-5-2-2 with a $2.52 ROI over the past five years on dirt at Aqueduct with horses going a route of ground for the first time following a layoff of 45 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan