El Grande O's return part of $124K pick six carryover

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The return to the races of the New York-bred stakes performer El Grande O and a $124,239 pick six carryover highlight Thursday’s Aqueduct program.

Continuing an uncanny trend that has lasted all meet, the pick six was not hit Sunday – it has not been hit on a Sunday all meet – and since it also was not hit Saturday, the carryover ballooned to six figures.

There are eight races Thursday – including three on turf –meaning the pick six begins with race 3 (1:41 p.m. Eastern).

In the featured seventh, a first-level allowance scheduled for six furlongs on dirt, the two-time New York-bred stakes winner El Grande O makes his first start since finishing third behind Deterministic in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 2. That was El Grande O’s third consecutive placing in an open-company stakes race.

Shortly after the Gotham, El Grande O was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in a hind ankle. He had a tiny screw put in to repair it and was given ample time off.

Trainer Linda Rice was considering bringing him back in Sunday’s Hudson Stakes for New York-breds – and could still enter him there – but she seems to be leaning toward this spot, which would be his first allowance try after eight consecutive stakes.

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Rice popped El Grande O out of the gate on Friday for a half-mile work in 47.20 seconds over the Belmont training track.

“I’ve worked him a few extra times to try and tighten him up because he wants to carry extra weight,” Rice said. “That’s probably why I started him out going short, you got to run him fit a little bit. I didn’t want to overdo him so I thought we’ll put him in going short and stretch him from there.”

Dylan Davis rides El Grande O – who gets Lasix for the first time – from post 3 in this eight-horse field.

Classify, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., is a perennial bridesmaid having finished second in 7 of 12 starts including his last five.

“I think he’s genuine,” Joseph said. “He’s been in races where he’s run his top number and met one better. I think he goes there with a very good chance. I don’t think he’s a hanger or a horse that just wants to run second. I think he’s a horse with ability.”

Forrest City, returning from a two-month layoff for Bill Mott, might be one to consider using in the pick six.

Here’s a look at the remainder of the sequence:

Race 3: What to do with Sweet Anniversary in this first-level allowance for statebreds at a mile? She is 4 for 5, all her wins coming at Finger Lakes, with a fourth in this condition sprinting at Saratoga. That day, she finished 13 1/4 lengths behind Cruise to Catalina, who came back to win here Saturday.

Michael Anthony Ferraro, the trainer of Sweet Anniversary, is 0 for 43 at Aqueduct going back to 2016.

Nolita was second in the Aug. 29 race in which Sweet Anniversary was fourth and is back in this spot.

Malu didn’t have a great trip when fourth in this condition at Saratoga and has previously run well at Aqueduct.

Race 4: Miss Bourbon was second to next-out winner Reflexivity in this same $40,000 claimer on turf on Sept. 20. Justheart had a little too much do when finishing third in that same Sept. 20 race.

Race 5: Stamp of Approval and Its Satisfactual are both making first starts for a claiming price in this maiden $75,000 claimer on turf.

Stamp of Approval hasn’t been out since June, when she finished third behind Dancing Dean, who won impressively here last Thursday. Its Satisfactual was second at Colonial Downs to Americandreammaker, who ran next in the Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks (seventh, beaten 4 1/4 lengths).

Positive Carry makes first start since being claimed by Rice off Chad Brown in July. In May, Positive Carry was second to Spaliday, who won the Grade 2 Sands Point here on Oct. 12.

Firster Mystical Powers, a $400,000 sales purchase trained by Gregg Sacco, intrigues.

Race 6: Western Wolf ran well first time out after breaking from the rail over a sealed good track when fourth on debut. Javier Castellano, on his first day back in nearly two months, has the call. Western Wolf is coupled with firster Brave Bear.

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Arcadian, another firster on the card from Sacco, is out of a mare who has produced six winners, one at first asking. Sacco also sends out uncoupled mate America’s Honor, who was third in the same race in which Western Wolf ran fourth.

Race 8: I don’t think Bomb Squad was all that comfortable stuck on the inside two back when beaten three-quarters of a length at this maiden $40,000 claiming level.

Seven of these come out of same race on Sept. 27. Of that group, I would prefer Sweet Tone, Makeyourmoment, and if the budget allows, throw Landauer in as well for a price.

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