Just Read It gets class relief, pace to chase
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A class drop and seemingly good pace setup could help land Just Read It in the winner’s circle in Thursday’s second-level allowance/optional-claiming feature scheduled for 6 1/2 furlongs at Aqueduct.
Just Read It, who won the Cicada Stakes as a 3-year-old here in 2021, is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Garland of Roses Stakes when she faced older females in December. That race was run over a sloppy track, but Ray Handal, trainer of Just Read It, didn’t blame the surface for her dull performance.
“Didn’t really have much of an excuse last time,” Handal said. “It was a tough race against older, seasoned mares.”
In her race prior to the Garland of Roses, Just Read It finished third, beaten four lengths, in second-level allowance at Churchill Downs. She did steady early in that race and rallied six wide in the lane and galloped out well past the field. Horses coming out of that race are 0 for 6 in subsequent starts.
“She missed the break a little bit, got checked when she ran up on heels, and made a nice run,” Handal said.
In addition to the Cicada victory in March, Just Read It won a six-furlong maiden race by 6 1/4 lengths over Aqueduct’s main track last Jan. 31. Two of Just Read It’s top three speed figures came when she raced on Lasix, medication she will be permitted to race on Thursday.
There does appear to be plenty of early speed types in this spot with entrymates Spun d’Etat and Shesalittle Edgy, as well as Patty H and Trinni Luck.
“She’s been training great, carrying good weight, all the stuff you’d look for,” Handal said. “It looks like there’s good speed in there. It might set up for her nice. If she fires like I thought she would last time, she should be tough.”
Jose Lezcano rides Just Read It from post 5 in the seven-horse field.
Patty H, Royal Meghan, and Easy to Bless ran 1-2-3 in an optional $80,000 claiming race going this same distance on Oct. 15 at Belmont. Patty H was a front-running winner and was claimed out of that race by Tony Dutrow for owner Timothy O’Toole. Patty H has won four of her last five starts, with the one loss coming in the Grade 3 Dogwood Stakes where she was used up in a speed duel and faded to fifth.
Dylan Davis has the call from post 3.
Easy To Bless, second to the promising front-runner Oxana in this same condition on Dec. 9, figures to be helped by the potential fast pace.
Spun d’Etat was claimed for $32,500 by Eddie Barker on behalf of Andy Berg’s Gumpster Stable on Oct. 28. Gumpster Stable also sends out Shesalittle Edgy, who was second as the favorite in an optional $80,000 claimer here Nov. 12. She has not left the gate well in each of her last three starts, including a third-place finish on Dec. 7 at Parx Racing.
Royal Meghan has dropped her last seven. Trinni Luck is back in allowance company after two drubbings in stakes. This speedy mare will have 10-pound apprentice Jose Gomez aboard and will be back on Lasix, medication she did not have in those stakes.