Its Cold in Dehere, Aunt Kat rematched in allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Its Cold in Dehere and Aunt Kat were no match for Glass Ceiling when second and third behind that mare going seven furlongs in a third-level allowance/optional $80,000 claiming race at Aqueduct on Jan. 23. Their performances were flattered some when Glass Ceiling came back to win last Saturday’s Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park.

Thursday, Its Cold in Dehere and Aunt Kat do battle again at the same class level, this time at six furlongs.

Its Cold in Dehere, a 6-year-old daughter of Ice Box, is a four-time winner at six furlongs, though she’s raced around two turns in her five of her last six starts.

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On Jan. 23, Its Cold in Dehere was boxed in along the inside for most of the trip before being able to get off the inside and rally three wide to catch Aunt Kat in the final three strides for second.

Trainer Linda Rice claimed Its Cold in Dehere for $62,500 off a win going 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs in November. She ran her in the Ladies, where Its Cold in Dehere finished fifth of sixth. Rice noted that Its Cold in Dehere didn’t get to race on Lasix in the Ladies, but rebounded well while back on Lasix when she ran her back a week later agianst Glass Ceiling.

Rice expressed some concern about the six furlongs “being too short for her,” but is hopeful Its Cold in Dehere will get a pace that will make her late kick more effective.

Jose Lezcano rides.

Aunt Kat put together a three-race winning streak from last March through June before a second-place finish in the Shine Again Stakes at Saratoga in August. She finished last as the favorite in the slower of two divisions of the Pumpkin Pie Stakes, run over a sloppy track on Oct. 31 at Belmont. In her Jan. 23 race, Aunt Kat dueled outside of Oxana through a sharp half-mile in 45.96 before giving way in the last furlong.

Aunt Kat looks to be part of what could be a strongly contested pace on Thursday.

Easy to Bless is 6 for 9 at six furlongs and could fall into a beautiful trip on Thursday. She was a perfect-trip winner of a second-level allowance here on Feb. 4. She beat only three rivals but did it easily enough.

Sweet Willemina has won eight of her last 10 starts, since being claimed by Scott Lake last June. While most of that success came around two turns, she did win the Claiming Crown Glass Slipper at Gulfstream and a starter allowance at Parx in one-turn races.

Glory Dia and Hey Mamaluke finished first and second in no-condition allowance at Parx last Dec. 7. Both are are being offered for $80,000 on Thursday. Piece of My Heart goes first off the claim for Danny Gargan, who took the mare for $62,500 last October.