Favorites put win streaks on the line

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Vegas Weekend will be making her first start in 84 days while Shesalittle Edge will be making her third start in 40 days when the two streaking fillies square off in Friday’s featured second-level allowance/optional $80,000 claiming sprint for female sprinters at Aqueduct.

Both Vegas Weekend and Shesalittle Edgy have won three consecutive races and four of their last five. Vegas Weekend will be making her first start off the claim for Rob Atras. Shesalittle Edgy, who as recently as June was trained by Atras, goes out for Parx Racing-based Scott Lake.

Vegas Weekend will be cutting back to one turn and seven furlongs for Atras, who claimed the 3-year-old filly for $50,000 from Fausto Gutierrez off a win going 1 1/8 miles on Aug. 19 at Saratoga. Vegas Weekend did win a 6 1/2-furlong maiden claimer at Gulfstream Park in March.

Atras said it wasn’t by design that he waited 12 weeks to run Vegas Weekend back, but more that he had a difficult time finding the right spot. He had her nominated for a stakes race but thought it was coming up too tough and was considering the Comely Stakes at the end of the month here but felt that, too, might come up a little salty.

“I wanted to keep her long, but she has run well short and I definitely wanted to get a race into her sooner than later,” said Atras, who trains Vegas Weekend for Sanford Goldfarb and Alan Kahn. “The way she trains in the morning and from some of her previous races, I think she should be able to handle seven-eighths. Also, this will give me an idea how she handles the Aqueduct surface, which sometimes can be a little tricky.”

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Friday, the Aqueduct surface could be a little muddy if the forecast proves accurate. Vegas Weekend’s win at Saratoga came in the slop.

Kendrick Carmouche rides from the rail.

Andrew Berg, of Gumpster Stable, sent Shesalittle Edgy to Lake at Parx for the summer in part because he didn’t feel she would fit in at Saratoga, Lake said. After a third-place finish in a starter allowance going a two-turn mile, Shesalittle Edgy has reeled off three straight wins, two at Parx, one at Delaware, all going six furlongs. She did win a starter allowance at Belmont for Atras in June.

In her win two back, on Oct. 4, Shesalittle Edgy earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

“That was solid little field, and she handled them pretty well,” Lake said. “She may have bounced a little bit when we came back quick [on Oct. 21] but she’s been doing good.”

Eric Cancel has the call from post 2 on Shesalittle Edgy, one of two in here being offered for the $80,000 claiming price.

Dealing Justice is returning from a 5 1/2-month layoff for trainer Ray Handal, who noted the filly had a small flake taken out of an ankle following an allowance win at Churchill Downs in May.

Gloria Dia, also in for $80,000 off a Parx allowance win, Dantastic, and Royal Meghan complete the field.

This race goes as the third on a nine-race card that begins at 12:20 p.m.