Hit It Once More scores front-running upset in Haynesfield Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – In 2016, Hit It Once More was one of the better New York-bred 3-year-olds, winning the New York Derby at Finger Lakes and the Albany Stakes at Saratoga in back-to-back performances at short prices.

Since then, however, Hit It Once More disappointed, winning one of his next 13 starts. It was that recent record on which bettors decided to dismiss Hit It Once More at 16-1 in Saturday’s $100,000 Haynesfield Stakes at Aqueduct.

But Hit It Once More reached into the way-back machine and flashed his form of 18 months ago, scoring a front-running upset in the Haynesfield. Left to his own devices on the lead under Rafael Hernandez, Hit It Once More ($34.20) was allowed to get away uncontested through a half-mile in 47.73 seconds and six furlongs in 1:13.12, and he covered the mile in 1:39.52 while beating Can You Diggit, the 9-5 favorite, by 2 1/4 lengths. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Papa Shot in third. Uncle Sigh, Clutch Cargo, and Extinct Charm completed the order of finish.

The win was the sixth from 24 starts for Hit It Once More, a 5-year-old son of Hard Spun trained by Gary Sciacca for Gerald Marino’s Yellow Moon Stable. Hit It Once More had previously been owned by Bill Parcells, but he sold the horse to Marino last summer.

Hit It Once More had been racing primarily at Parx because he was no longer eligible for open-company allowance races in New York based on his two New York-bred stakes victories. Two starts back, with blinkers added, Hit It Once More won a first-level allowance at Parx before finishing fifth in a second-level allowance just two weeks ago.

“The blinkers kind of seemed to make a bit of a difference on him, kept him more focused and do his job,” Sciacca said.

Another reason Sciacca had Hit It Once More racing at Parx was to keep him running around two turns. The Haynesfield was a one-turn mile, which concerned Sciacca until he saw that nobody went with Hit It Once More.

“I knew he could make the lead, but that one-turn mile, they kind of get on you from the start,” Sciacca said. “They did get on him a little bit, but he got a breather when he opened up a little bit.”

Hernandez said Sciacca told him Hit It Once More “gets more brave when he’s on the lead, so I warmed him up good to make sure he got the lead, and he kept going.”