Following sharp return, Stone Creator tries mile once again
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Two second-level allowance/optional $45,000 claiming races for New York-bred females, one going six furlongs, one going a mile, highlight Friday’s eight-race card at Aqueduct.
While trainer Charlton Baker ultimately thinks Stone Creator will be better going six furlongs, he entered in the mile race where she will face only five rivals in Friday’s fourth race. The six-furlong race, which goes as race 7, came up with nine horses.
On Feb. 9, Stone Creator, a 4-year-old daughter of Creative Cause, came off a 258-day layoff to win a seven-furlong allowance race by 4 3/4 lengths. She earned a career-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure, something that surprised Baker.
“The race was okay, but the number was a little higher than I expected,” Baker said.
Baker’s skepticism about Stone Creator’s ability to be effective at a mile comes from the fact he wasn’t overly thrilled with the way she finished her races going that distance last year.
“I think she’s doing better than last year, so we’re still trying to figure out how far she wants to go,” Baker said. “She gallops out like she wants to [go long], but she hasn’t finished up her races the way I want to see her finish up.”
In her return race, Stone Creator set the pace under Frankie Pennington, who was subbing for an injured Kendrick Carmouche. Friday, Carmouche is back on Stone Creator, who is drawn on the outside of a talented speed horse in Tough Street.
“I’m going to let Kendrick decide but I don’t really want him taking her back,” Baker said. “The other horse is a game horse when she gets the lead, so I think if she breaks sharp you just go.”
Tough Street, trained by Chad Brown, has won three of her last four starts, including a first-level allowance by 4 1/2 lengths on Jan. 22. Dylan Davis rides.
Baker has a second horse in the race, Bustin Bay, who he claimed for $25,000 out of a winning effort going seven furlongs Feb. 19.
“She’s a hard-knocker that gets a check,” Baker said. “Put her back in and see how she does for me. It’s a short field. It might set up for her.”
Shinfull, trained by David Donk, comes out of a fourth-place finish in her first start in this condition. Curly Girl and Caramocha complete the field.
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Race 7, at six furlongs, appears to have a lot of speed and may set up well for Khali Magic, who did win this condition in Saratoga last summer. She is coming off a second-place finish behind runaway winner Kant Hurry Love here Feb. 5.
Backed by Gold is coming off a nose victory in the first-level allowance condition where she came from slightly off the pace under Andre Worrie for Pat Quick.
Diva Banker, Quality Stones, and Beautiful Karen ran 1-2-3 in a $25,000 claimer here Dec. 3 and find themselves reunited in this spot.
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