Duggan tries to dish out another winner for Clear Stars Stable

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – David Duggan made a strong first impression with his new clients, Clear Stars Stable, when he sent out Luna Loca to an 8 1/2-length victory in a starter allowance for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies on Jan. 6.

“That was a prepackaged dinner, I just had to serve it up,” said Duggan, who has taken over the training of horses owned by Clear Stars (and partners) previously trained by the recently retired Richard Schosberg. “I just picked her up a week before, I can’t take all the credit.”

Sunday, Duggan hopes to play sous chef again when he sends D’ont Lose Cruz out against eight other New York-bred 3-year-olds in a first-level allowance/optional $50,000 claimer, the feature on Aqueduct’s nine-race card.

This six-furlong event came up solid, with perhaps some horsemen hoping it could come up lighter with the $100,000 Rego Park Stakes for these same horses looming in two weeks.

D’ont Lose Cruz, a son of 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, is coming off a second-place finish to multiple New York-bred stakes winner Acoustic Ave in the Nov. 25 Notebook Stakes.

At the recommendation of jockey Irad Ortiz Jr, who rode the horse that day, D’ont Lose Cruz is getting blinkers for the first time. He also is getting Lasix for the first time.

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Of the blinkers, Duggan said, “they’re just small cheaters, enough to keep him focused. He was lugging out a little bit, no malice or soreness, he just lacked a little bit of focus.”

Duggan said he did work D’ont Lose Cruz in blinkers and they didn’t seem to make the speedster any harder to handle.

“If they improve him a half-length, we should get the job done,” Duggan said.

Kendrick Carmouche rides D’ont Lose Cruz from post 6.

Starquist, trained by John Kimmel, finished a head behind D’ont Lose Cruz in the Notebook. Prior to that, he had won a maiden race going six furlongs on Oct. 9 and was third behind Arctic Arrogance in the Sleepy Hollow at one mile.

Starquist gets Lasix for the first time and will break from the rail under Eric Cancel.

What’s Up Bro, a son of Dialed In, won a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race Dec. 10 by eight lengths in his second career start. Quick Chaos, the runner-up from that race, came back to win his maiden here Jan. 6 with a 72 Beyer Speed Figure.

In his Nov. 12 debut, What’s Up Bro finished fifth, but didn’t have a smooth trip breaking from the rail. He lacked room on the turn and then switched several paths wide for the stretch run.

“He was compromised, but learned a lot,” trainer Bob Klesaris said. “He’s still green, he didn’t switch leads in the stretch, but he’s been switching in the mornings.”

Jose Lezcano rides What’s Up Bro from post 7.

A potential price play is Kaz Palace, who ships in from Penn National for trainer Dimitrios Synnefias and owner/breeder Peter Kazamias. That tandem has gone 4-4-3 from 27 starters at Aqueduct over the last two years with a $5.15 ROI, according to DRF Formulator.

Kaz Palace, a son of Palace Malice, is coming off a third-place finish in an open first-level allowance where he was bothered late by the winner, costing him second by a nose. An objection lodged by jockey Jorge Panaijo was disallowed.

Wong has first N.Y. starter

Trainer Jonathan Wong, a leading trainer in Northern California who opened up a string in Kentucky in the fall, will make his New York debut Sunday when he sends out Fantail in the fourth race, a $25,000 claimer for fillies and mares who have never won three races.

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Wong, who said he has 45 horses at Turfway Park, also has Fantail entered Monday at Parx Racing, but said Friday he planned to run at Aqueduct.

Fantail has a less than impressive 2-for-19 lifetime record, but Wong believes she’s been poorly spotted, including several tries going long on turf. Fantail is 0 for 12 on turf, and 1 for 4 on synthetic. She is 1 for 3 on dirt, including a victory in a $20,000 claimer on Nov. 18 at Churchill Downs from which she was claimed by Wong.

“I think she’s a sprinter more than anything,” Wong said Friday. “If you look at her sprint races they’ve all been really solid.”

Fantail will be ridden by Abner Adorno from the rail.

Reigning Chick looks the major threat going first off a $35,000 claim by Pat Reynolds.

While Wong said he is “very excited” to have his first New York starter, he’s not sure how many he will run here this winter.

“If the right situation arises, we’ll run for sure,” Wong said.

◗ Jockey Jackie Davis will serve a one-day suspension Sunday for striking the horse Bonana Fanna Foe seven times, one more than permissible, in the eighth race on Jan. 5 at Aqueduct. Davis also was fined $250 by New York Racing Association steward Brook Hawkins, who serves as the regulator for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

Bonana Fanna Foe finished third, beaten a neck in that allowance race.

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