Flashy Bull exits key race

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Provided it stops raining long enough for Aqueduct's main track to dry out - and provided the jockeys are satisfied with its condition - racing is slated to resume here Wednesday with a nine-race card that includes a pick-six carryover of $41,913.

A strong Nor'easter that brought several inches of rain to the area and forced Sunday's card to be canceled was supposed to be a memory by Wednesday. How much - if any - damage it did to the beleaguered main track remains to be seen.

The featured race on the program is an optional claimer for 4-year-olds and up that drew a field of 12, but will likely go with far fewer given the presence of three coupled entries.

Flashy Bull, part of a Kiaran McLaughlin-trained entry along with Unigold, could be the one to beat in his return to New York. Flashy Bull began and ended his 3-year-old season eligible for the first-level allowance condition. Along the way he finished third in the Fountain of Youth, 14th in the Kentucky Derby, and third in the Ohio Derby.

He returned from a five-month layoff in a first-level allowance race at Gulfstream Park on Jan.o26, finishing second to runaway winner Justa Streak. Flashy Bull finally cleared the first-level condition on March 4, overcoming the rail post to win a seven-furlong race by 1 1/2 lengths. Three horses from that race have since come back to win.

"Giving him a break was the right thing to do,'' McLaughlin said. "He's come back a better horse this year. We were worried about the rail last time, but he broke well and ran great; it was nice to see.''

Flashy Bull will break from post 7 under Alan Garcia.

City Attraction, trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., heads a three-horse entry that includes Champ Safi and Doc Cheney, both trained by Nick Zito. City Attraction has been freshened since a poor effort in a third-level allowance last out. Three starts back he came within a neck of the undefeated Half Ours in a second-level allowance over the inner track.

Final Story, one of two horses in here offered for the $50,000 optional claiming tag, has 4 wins and 2 seconds from his last 6 starts. He was beaten a neck in a starter handicap on Jan. 13 and will race with an aluminum pad on a front foot.

Trainer Bruce Levine said Final Story would most likely scratch on a wet track. Ricardo A, trained by Gary Contessa, would probably benefit from a wet surface.