Hot bunch in Valley Stream

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Some of the 2-year-old fillies in the $100,000-added Valley Stream at Aqueduct might have distance limitations down the road, but that doesn't mean the nine entered in Sunday's six-furlong race are not without talent.

Among the runners in the Grade 3 Valley Stream are Midnight Cry, third in the Grade 1 Spinaway, and Fast Cookie, the runner-up in the Grade 2 Astarita. Throw in runaway maiden winner Randaroo and the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Lassie second-place finisher Parting, and you've got yourself a horse race.

Midnight Cry, trained by Ken McPeek, easily won her career debut at Saratoga and followed with a third in the Spinaway. A Smart Strike filly, Midnight Cry flopped in her next start, finishing seventh as the favorite in the Grade 2 Alcibiades over a sloppy track. "It was a quagmire at Keeneland for the Alcibiades. That day was rough," McPeek said.

Midnight Cry rebounded in her next start, romping in an allowance race at Keeneland.

Edgar Prado rides Midnight Cry, who McPeek said "can lay right off the pace and kick home."

It took Fast Cookie, trained by Bill Mott, five starts before she won a maiden race in September. Fast Cookie followed with a runner-up finish behind Humorous Lady in the Astarita over a sloppy track at Belmont on Oct. 13. Fast Cookie, who showed speed in some of her earlier starts, came from off the pace and was beaten a nose in the Astarita.

"I think she was running against some pretty nice maidens," Mott said. "I thought she ran a huge race [in the Astarita]. She was off the pace because they went [21.80]. I guess she's okay to do either depending on the pace. She's very competitive."

Richard Migliore, who won this race last year aboard Forest Heiress, rides Fast Cookie, who drew post 8.

There usually isn't a shortage of fast 2-year-olds in trainer Tony Dutrow's barn. Dutrow entered Randaroo, who won her career debut by 10 1/4 lengths at Delaware Park on Oct. 23. Randaroo covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.60 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.

"Impressed, yes, but surprised, no," said Dutrow, who is 4 for 4 at this meet. "She had always trained well, and we've been high on her."

Dutrow's brother Richard Dutrow Jr. has entered Parting, who was given to him to train by Preston Stables last month after winning a stakes in Texas.

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