Indian Blossom looking for clear sailing at Aqueduct

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trip handicappers figure to be all over Indian Blossom when she faces five rivals in Wednesday’s first-level allowance feature at Aqueduct, run at a mile and 70 yards over the inner track.

In her last start, a one-turn mile race at this same condition on Oct. 29 at Belmont Park, Indian Blossom was attempting to make a move to the leaders along the rail at the seven-sixteenths pole when a hole closed and jockey Alex Solis was forced to take her up sharply and back to last in the five-horse field. Indian Blossom re-rallied in the final three-eighths of a mile to get second, 2 1/4 lengths behind the winning favorite, Flask. Indian Blossom finished a half-length in front of stablemate Speightful Affair, who two starts later won an allowance race by 6 3/4 lengths over the inner track.

Meanwhile, Indian Blossom was shipped to Kentucky where she was cataloged to be sold at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale. However, she failed to reach her reserve figure and Ro Parra’s Millennium Farms bought her back and returned her to trainer Steve Asmussen’s Belmont Park barn.

Indian Blossom shows six workouts since Nov. 22 and will be ridden by Ramon Dominguez, who has a 43 percent success rate with the Asmussen barn at the Big A the last two years.

“She didn’t have any issues coming out of the race,” assistant trainer Toby Sheets said. “She’s doing well.”

Obey the Rules was a well-beaten third in a first-level allowance race at Belmont on Sept. 16. The winner of that race, Dubai Dancer, came back to win the Witches Brew Stakes at Monmouth before finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Gazelle, while the runner-up, Flask, won the aforementioned allowance race over Indian Blossom.

Since her last start, Obey the Rules has been turned over to Rudy Rodriguez, who has a 41 percent success rate with horses making their first start for him.

“We got her about four weeks ago,” Rodriguez said. “She looks like she’s good and fit.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out the uncoupled entry of Rhys and Super Espresso. Assistant trainer Jonathan Thomas said Rhys has “trained very forwardly” since her third-place finish to Speightful Affair. Super Espresso makes her first start since winning an off-the turf maiden race on Oct. 27.

Maryland shipper Today’s Treasure was second last out to Lily Quartoze, who came back to win a second-level allowance by 8 1/4 lengths Saturday at Laurel.