Florida shippers bring the heat
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Temperatures in the 70s this week aren’t the only indication that spring is creeping closer. There are several south Florida shippers entered in a trio of first-level allowance races that highlight Friday’s nine-race card at Aqueduct.
In the eighth, a 1 1/16-mile race for 4-year-olds and up, Imperia will be racing in New York for the first time since he won the Grade 3 Pilgrim on Belmont Park’s turf as a maiden in September 2014. Last March, he was scratched from the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park and underwent surgery to have a chip removed from an ankle.
He made his return to the races at this same condition at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 31. In that one-mile race, a hole closed on him along the inside in midstretch, he had to tip four paths off the rail, and could do no better than fourth.
Though Imperia’s lone win came on turf, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said, “We think he’s best on dirt for now.”
Imperia, who breaks from post 5 under Irad Ortiz Jr., may have to overcome a lack of pace in this spot.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Imperia. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is 18-0-5-5 over the past four years in routes on the Aqueduct inner dirt in the second start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Among his challengers is Mister Monolo, who has a win and two seconds from four starts for trainer Leah Gyarmati since returning from a summer layoff.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Mister Monolo. Trainer Leah Gyarmati is 9-4-1-3 with a $5.74 ROI at the current Aqueduct inner dirt meet in routes with Junior Alvarado aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
“In general, he’s been a surprise to me,” Gyarmati said. “He was a nice little horse, but then something clicked, and he got it. This field is a little tougher than what he met last time, but he’s training really well.”
Gyarmati also sends out Sea Raven, a New York-bred who has not fared well in two open-company starts.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Sea Raven. Trainer Leah Gyarmati is 13-0-0-3 over the past five years in routes following a layoff of 180 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Testosterstone. Trainer Pat Kelly is 23-0-1-3 over the past five years on dirt with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Still Krz. Trainer David Jacobson is 9-1-3-1 with a $0.41 ROI over the past five years in routes on the Aqueduct inner dirt with Jose Ortiz aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
In race 5, Florida shippers Daring Bride, Sense of Beauty, and Awesome Dame make up half of the six-horse field for this one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies who may be trying to earn a spot in the Grade 2 Gazelle here on April 9.
Awesome Dame, trained by Tom Albertrani, returns to dirt after a fifth-place finish in a $100,000 stakes over the synthetic surface at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. facility. Prior to that, Awesome Dame won a one-mile allowance race on dirt at Gulfstream Park, though she drifted out significantly in the stretch. Awesome Dame wore blinkers in her last start and will wear them again in this spot.
Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out the uncoupled entry of Sense of Beauty and Daring Bride, each of whom won a maiden race in her debut. Sense of Beauty won a seven-furlong maiden race at Tampa Bay Downs, while Daring Bride won an off-the-turf maiden race at Gulfstream on Dec. 6.
In race 3, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds, the Florida shipper Ready Dancer drops in class in a field that includes Zen Papa and Bust Another.
Zen Papa scratched out of Sunday’s Jimmy Winkfield Stakes and could play out as the major speed in this seemingly easier spot under Ortiz. Zen Papa won the first two races of his career, then finished fourth in the Lost in the Fog Stakes on New Year’s Day after jumping up at the break and hitting the side of the gate.
“He hit the gate and lost momentum, so Irad had to rush him,” trainer Rudy Rodriguez said. “If he breaks nice and clean, I think we should be comfortable on the lead.”