Icy Reply heating up coming into her 5-year-old season

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Jimmy Ferraro was asked about the recent but heretofore unseen consistency from his mare Icy Reply.

“Check out her dam on Equibase and you’ll get your answer,” Ferraro said. “I’d like to take the credit for it, but I think it’s in her genes.”

Icy Reply, by Keen Ice, is out of the Ohio-bred dam Pay the Man, who churned out $1 million in earnings by virtue of a 27-11-9 record from 76 career starts. Her best season came at age 7, when Pay the Man won six consecutive races, five stakes.

Icy Reply is showing similar durability, if not success, as her 5-14-4 record from 42 starts illustrates. She made 18 starts as a 4-year-old after running 21 times at 3.

Icy Reply has three seconds and a win from her last four starts entering Friday’s first-level allowance feature going six furlongs at Aqueduct.

Icy Reply’s recent run of good efforts – including a win here Dec. 14 – came in starter-allowance races. Ferraro said he was looking to enter in another starter allowance that was in the book for Friday, but that did not fill. This race was mentioned to him by officials in the racing office, and Ferraro opted to go in.

Before her win Dec. 14, Icy Reply finished second to Proud Foot in a starter allowance on Nov. 18. Proud Foot was entered in this spot, but will have to scratch because she won this allowance condition last Sunday.

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That scratch and a field that seemingly has plenty of pace could give Icy Reply a chance to win consecutive races for the first time in her career. Apprentice Luis Rivera Jr. has been aboard for her last four starts and is back aboard Friday.

“The kid rode her real good last time,” Ferraro said.

Icy Reply has a 3-4-0 record from eight starts at Aqueduct.

Security Code is a New York-bred daughter of Frosted who has a third and two seconds in three tries in this open condition.

“At 2, we thought she was going to be a New York-bred stakes-quality horse,” trainer Phil Serpe said. “For just turning 4, she still seems to be gradually improving where hopefully she get in some of those black-type races. Her last couple of races have been good.”

Serpe said Security Code can sometimes be her own worst enemy at the gate.

I’mhavingamoment beat Security Code in a second-level allowance for statebreds at Saratoga in August but has finished behind that one in a pair of open-company tries.

Everlys Girl showed speed winning a $35,000 claimer last out in the slop for Michelle Nevin, but she has been successful from off the pace as well.

Frau Diablo, Kitten’s Appeal, and Dame Cinco look to be part of the pace. Awillaway and Mongolian Panther complete the field.

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