Faith in Humanity has won following a long layoff before
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Ten different older females have combined to win 14 graded stakes on turf in 2023 for trainer Chad Brown. The first one to do so was Faith in Humanity, who on Sunday returns from a 197-day layoff in a multi-conditioned allowance that serves as the co-feature on Aqueduct’s nine-race program.
The $105,000 race, run at a mile, was open to fillies and mares who are eligible for a third-level allowance condition, who have not won four races, or horses who have not won $60,000 this year. Two of the horses are entered for the optional $80,000 claiming condition.
Faith in Humanity, a French-bred daughter of Lope de Vega, is 3 for 4 lifetime. She kicked off her 4-year-old campaign with a front-running victory in the Grade 3 Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 4. That was her first start in 177 days, or since she won the Grade 3 Pebbles in front-running fashion here last Sept. 18. That day she defeated Gina Romantica, who had beaten Faith in Humanity in the Riskaverse Stakes at Saratoga, then came out of the Pebbles to win the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland last October.
After the Honey Fox, Faith in Humanity showed two workouts before Brown had to stop on her. Faith in Humanity has seven workouts since July 30 leading up to this. In addition to winning the Honey Fox off a layoff, she was a debut winner last summer at Monmouth Park.
Joel Rosario rides Faith in Humanity from post 3.
There does appear to be other speed in this race, including Traffic Song, who ships in from Fair Hill for trainer Jimmy Toner.
Traffic Song won an allowance at Gulfstream in March before finishing sixth in the Grade 3 Gallorette, won by the Brown-trained Whitebeam. Most recently, Traffic Song finished second in an allowance at Colonial Downs.
“At least her last race she was competitive, she hung in there well,” Toner said. “Earlier on, when she would get headed, she would just pack it in. This year, she’s been pretty good about it; she’s tried and she’s hung in there well. In the stakes, she didn’t have a chance to get a breather.”
Jose Ortiz will ride Traffic Song from post 4.
Trainer Christophe Clement sends out the uncoupled pair of Messidor and Adaay in Asia, a combined 0 for 6 this year. Takntothecleaners, a listed stakes winner at Evangeline two back, Favor, and Ok Honey complete the field.
◗ In Sunday’s co-feature, a second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claimer on dirt, trainer Linda Rice sends out the uncoupled pair of Film Star and Costa Terra.
Film Star, claimed for $75,000 by Rice in April, ended a streak of five consecutive second-place finishes by winning a first-level allowance at Saratoga going 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 3.
“It’s back a little quick for him, but a lot of times it’s hard to wait to get a mile and an eighth race,” Rice said. “Every effort’s been good, I find the mile and an eighth races are a little less competitive than the flat miles, that’s kind of why [I stretched him out], Rice said.
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Film Star will likely be forwardly placed by Jose Ortiz while Costa Terra will be coming from off the pace under Jose Lezcano. Costa Terra has been running 1 3/16 miles or farther in his last three starts. His last effort he got beat a nose after having to alter course in the stretch.
“He went inside, got shut off. I thought it was a big effort, a winning effort,” Rice said.
On July 21, Constitutionlawyer finished a well-beaten sixth behind Bright Future, who came back to win the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. Constitutionlawyer did win his maiden going nine furlongs at Aqueduct on Jan. 2, 2022.
Southern District, Wild Banker, Iron Works, and Laughing Boy complete the field.
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