Inda seems to have game figured out

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Shug McGaughey had a solid weekend with handicap victories Saturday by Hunting in the Stuyvesant at Aqueduct and Criminologist in the Cardinal at Churchill Downs.

He will try to keep the good times rolling with Inda in Wednesday's $75,000 optional claiming feature at Aqueduct.

Inda faces six rivals. All seven fillies and mares are eligible for the first-level allowance conditions of the one-mile race.

The Wednesday card kicks off HolidayFest week at Aqueduct, the final cluster of major stakes in New York this year. The main attraction is the Grade 1 Cigar Mile on Saturday.

Inda, a 4-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy, has finally hit her best stride in the second half of this season. She won her maiden on her 10th try on Sept. 28 at Belmont Park, drawing off by 6 3/4 lengths. She followed that with a second-place finish to Golden Velvet, a Darley Stable homebred making her U.S. debut for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

"She's doing fine," McGaughey said of Inda. "She caught a tough filly the other day and we weren't able to beat her. She ran good."

John Velazquez will be aboard Inda for the first time.

Inda will face another McLaughlin trainee in this spot: Estimable, a 3-year-old making only her fifth start.

Estimable rallied to get third in an Oct. 28 sprint at Aqueduct, her first start since March. This will be her first try beyond six furlongs.

She has a win and a third in four starts, all at Aqueduct. Estimable won her maiden on the inner track back on Feb. 11.

Alan Garcia, aboard for the comeback, has the return call.

Morning Gallop could be sitting on a win for trainer Mark Hennig after losing by a head here on Nov. 2.

Stolen Star drops into this race for trainer John Kimmel following four straight stakes against New York-breds. She failed to win any of the races in that stretch, but did hit the board three times. Most recently, Stolen Star was fourth in the Iroquois Handicap at Belmont on Oct. 20.

Shoe Babe, Moneypenny, and She's a Tuf Cookie complete the field.