Experience in short supply for Aspirant, Lady Finger
There are good-sized fields in the co-featured $116,242 Aspirant Stakes and $117,036 Lady Finger Stakes for New York-bred juveniles on Monday at Finger Lakes – and both are wide open. Several maidens or debut starters are in play in the two races, with only two horses with prior stakes experience set to run.
The Aspirant, which has drawn a field of 10 colts and geldings, and the Lady Finger, with nine fillies, anchor a solid 10-race card at Finger Lakes that also includes four allowance-level races. The two juvenile stakes serve as the local preps for one of the season’s biggest events at the track, the $100,000-added New York Breeders’ Futurity at the same six-furlong distance of both the preps on Oct. 18. The Futurity was first run in 1963 and typically draws standout locals, as well as shippers from the NYRA circuit.
Daufuskie Island, with Dylan Davis retaining the ride for Jeremiah Englehart, and Bourbon’s Hope, with Jorge Vargas Jr. taking the mount for Charlton Baker, are among those NYRA shippers, and are the only two in the Aspirant with prior stakes experience. Daufuskie Island defeated statebred maidens by five lengths on Aug. 12 going this six-furlong distance at Saratoga, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 76, the top number in this field. Earlier in the summer, Bourbon’s Hope was a three-length debut victor over a next-out winner on July 9 at Belmont, with a Beyer of 70.
Daufuskie Island and Bourbon’s Hope met in the Funny Cide Stakes on Aug. 27 at Saratoga, part of a salty state showcase card on Travers Eve. They finished sixth and seventh, respectively, behind Senbei. The winner, who is unbeaten, looms large in the $150,000 Bertram F. Bongard on Sunday at Belmont; his beaten foes face softer competition here.
Adios Asher is making his first start on dirt in the Aspirant, but also brings in a gaudy speed figure. After finishing third in his debut on turf, he was a front-running 5 1/4-length winner in a synthetic sprint at Arlington, earning a Beyer of 73 while defeating a next-out winner.
The maidens Courageoous Oh La, Cozzy’s Attitude, Disengage, Don Bernardo, Gimmedamoney, Kenny Hustle, and The Institute complete the Aspirant field. Gimmedamoney was second to Senbei on debut before then finishing seventh to Daufuskie Island in the latter’s maiden win.
One race later, Midnight Vigilance looms large in the Lady Finger by virtue of a local victory for Michael Ferraro. The filly was a 4 1/4-length debut winner against open company on Aug. 17 under Luis Perez, who rides her back Monday. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 56, narrowly the best in this group.
Amore Fire earned a 52 Beyer winning her third career start at Belmont going this six-furlong distance, although in a maiden claimer.
Curly Girl also was a maiden winner at Finger Lakes, earning just a 36 Beyer with a 4 1/4-length score over Queens Dancer. The latter is one of three maidens in this field, along with Automated Teller and Belarus. The debut starters Nice Is Free, Pookielicious, and Raymond Road complete the field.