Ghost Fighter one of the principals in intriguing maiden contest

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The most interesting race on Thursday’s eight-race Aqueduct card is a six-furlong maiden race for 3-year-olds that goes as the fifth.

Ghost Fighter, a $500,000 son of Tapit, and Mr. Phil, a four-time runner-up from six starts, figure to take the most money in the field of six. There are a pair of first-time starters from the barn of Chad Brown and firsters being sent out by Michelle Nevin and Eric Guillot.

Ghost Fighter has run twice, finishing second in a very productive 5 1/2-furlong maiden race at Gulfstream in September before finishing fourth at Churchill two months later.

“In fairness to him, I probably didn’t have him completely ready for that second start. He missed a little time,” said trainer Mark Casse, who is 6 for 22 this winter at Aqueduct. “We’re trying to run more in New York. I thought he would fit nice there and it looks like he has a shot.”

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Jose Lezcano rides Ghost Fighter from the outside post.

Sixto is a son of Curlin who brought $250,000 at auction as a 2-year-old. Guillot said the colt is named for Sixto Chavez, who has worked as a groom and a foreman for Guillot for 16 years and was around his Grade 1 winners Champagne d’Oro and Moreno.

Speaking of the horse, Guillot said: “He’s a pretty nice colt. I’ve been taking my time with him, working him behind horses. . . . He’s a late May baby, but he’s coming around like a nice horse. It wouldn’t surprise me if he wins, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he comes running and gets third.”

Brown sends out the uncoupled entry of Cousin Andrew, a son of Into Mischief whose dam is a half-sister to a Grade 1 winner, and Fevola, a son of Midnight Lute who had been training at Palm Meadows in Florida before shipping to New York.

It’s a Wrap, a son of Twirling Candy, has a solid work tab and will try to break trainer Michelle Nevin’s 0-for-36 skein in New York.