Itsonlyactingdad likely to stalk in Long Island

Trainers Christophe Clement and Tom Proctor have five of the nine entrants in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct on Sunday, but Todd Pletcher may have the right one in a tricky edition of the 1 1/2-mile turf marathon for fillies and mares.

As often happens in longer grass races, there is little speed in the field, making it difficult to predict who will get the best trip. Pletcher’s starter, Itsonlyactingdad, is one of the more versatile runners in the field – even though she may not have found the best early spot in either of her last two starts.

In the 1 3/8-mile Glens Falls at Saratoga, Itsonlyactingdad was pinched back at the break and raced last in the 10-horse field for the first mile. She finished with interest but had far too much to do and was beaten 5 3/4 lengths.

Itsonlyactingdad returned in a salty renewal of the Grade 1 Flower Bowl, in which Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf entrants Lady Eli, Sentiero Italia, and Sea Calisi finished first, second, and third. Sent from the gate by jockey John Velazquez, she tracked the pacesetting Sentiero Italia from second, with Lady Eli sitting just off her hip. She finished fifth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths.

“It looked like a little bit of a paceless race on paper, so we wanted to get involved,” Pletcher said. “She didn’t break great, and Johnny tried to use her a bit to get there. I think she ran a sneaky-good race, but we probably should have left her alone.”

Look for Velazquez to try to work out a relaxed, stalking trip for Itsonlyactingdad, who three starts back won the Grade 3 Matchmaker at Monmouth Park.

“Hopefully, we can find more of a middle ground in the Long Island,” Pletcher said.

Clement has entered Modernstone, who will be making her third start following an 11-month layoff; Desiree Clary, who is 1 for 3 since being imported to the United States this season; and Palinodie, a 3-year-old French import who scored her first career win at Maisons-Laffitte on Oct. 3.

Proctor is represented by Promotional, who won a second-level optional-claiming race at Saratoga, and Earring, who was Group 2-placed in Ireland in July.

Long Island Handicap, Race 6

Key Contenders

Itsonlyactingdad, by Giant’s Causeway
Last 3 Beyers: 96-90-96

◗ She is the starting highweight at 119 pounds and will give three to seven pounds to her opponents.

Achnaha, by Haatef
Last 3 Beyers: 92-93-86

◗ Trained by George Weaver, she closed to finish fifth, two lengths ahead of Itsonlyactingdad, in the Glens Falls. Prior to that, she was third to Guapaza in the Waya at Saratoga and second to eventual Glens Falls winner Suffused in the 1 15/16-mile Belmont Coronation Invitational in June.

Evidently, by Smart Strike
Last 3 Beyers: 87-87-84

◗ Trainer Roy Lerman will equip her with blinkers for the first time. Evidently has been competitive in a string of second-level optional-claiming races but is 2 for 20 in her career.

- additional reporting by David Grening