Finest Work faces Fluffy Socks in Forever Together

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York-bred Finest Work looks to put the bow on a terrific 4-year-old campaign when she takes on open company in Sunday’s $135,000 Forever Together Stakes at Aqueduct as the turf season begins to wind down for the year on this circuit.

Finest Work, a 4-year-old daughter of Outwork trained by George Weaver, has four wins and two seconds in six starts this year. While three of those wins have come in statebred company, Finest Work did win a first-level open-company allowance by 2 1/2 lengths at Monmouth Park on Sept. 10.

After winning the John Hettinger Stakes for New York-breds on Sept. 30, she was beaten a head by Runaway Rumour in the Ticonderoga on Oct. 30.

Blair Golen, the assistant to Weaver, said that in the Hettinger, Finest Work got the jump on the competition and was able to hold on at the wire.

“Last time, we were stuck on the rail and by the time she got loose they were there,” Golen said. “We’ll try her in open company. She’s training well.”

Manny Franco rides Finest Work from post 6 in this 1 1/16-mile event.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match and FREE Formulator PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Fluffy Socks, trained by Chad Brown, figures to go favored after competing in five consecutive graded stakes. In three of her last five starts, Fluffy Socks was beaten by a stablemate in a graded race. Last time, out she finished fourth as the 3-2 favorite in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita.

“She didn’t ship particularly well; she was a bit unsettled her first few days,” Brown said. “We got her home, she seems to be settled in and doing fine.”

Irad Ortiz Jr., who entered the weekend with 74 stakes wins this year – two off Garrett Gomez’s single-year record – rides Fluffy Socks from post 5.

Evvie Jets has proven to be quite the claim for trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci and owner Robert Amendola. Taken for $80,000 14 months ago, Evvie Jets has three wins and three seconds from nine starts, including a victory in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel Stakes last out.

The Noble Damsel was run at one mile. That came after she was beaten a neck in the Grade 3 Athenia going 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 24. Kantarmaci felt the distance and the fact she had to set the pace in the Athenia worked against Evvie Jets.

“She’s not a front-runner, she needs something in the front,” Kantarmaci said.

Eric Cancel rides Evvie Jets from post 4.

Por Que No was the pacesetter in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel and will likely be on the lead again on Sunday breaking from the rail under Abner Adorno.

Messidor beat Evvie Jets in a one-mile allowance at Saratoga before finishing third to her in the Noble Damsel.

Lashara and Miss Dracarys are both coming off an allowance win at Aqueduct. Coconut Cake is coming off a restricted stakes win against Maryland-breds at Laurel.

The Forever Together goes as race 7 on a 10-race card that begins at 11:50 a.m.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.