Juvenile winners point to Aqueduct stakes
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLEELMONT, N.Y. – Not all 2-year-olds are trying to make it to the Breeders’ Cup.
Last weekend, Avery Island and Navajo each won a maiden race at Belmont Park, and they are pointing to the opening-week juvenile stakes at Aqueduct.
On Sept. 30, Avery Island, a son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, won a 1 1/16-mile race by 5 1/4 lengths in his second start, after having finished seventh in his debut sprinting. Joe Bravo rode him in both starts. Avery Island will point to the Grade 2, $200,000 Nashua, a one-turn mile, on Nov. 5.
“A lot of times our horses need a race for experience,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “He was disappointing, but Joey liked him and said he just wants farther.”
On Oct. 1, Navajo, a daughter of 2012 Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags, won a one-mile maiden race by 3 1/4 lengths after finishing second in her debut sprinting at Saratoga.
“She always trained so professionally,” trainer Tony Dutrow said. “After watching her run the first time I didn’t have any surprises the way she ran the second time. I will admit I am happy she got the added distance.”
Dutrow said Navajo will point to the Grade 3, $150,000 Tempted, a one-turn mile, on opening day at Aqueduct on Nov. 3.
Voodoo Song points to Hollywood Derby
Trainer Linda Rice resisted the temptation of wheeling Voodoo Song back in a week in Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park and instead will point the 3-year-old colt to the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Dec. 3.
Voodoo Song, who won four times during Saratoga’s 40-day meet, finished second in last Saturday’s Commonwealth Derby at Laurel, and Rice considered running him back in the Hill Prince. But she did not feel Voodoo Song came out of the race well enough and the competition was too stern to wheel back on short notice.
“I do it when it’s a good opportunity,” Rice said about running horses back on short rest. “This looks like a solid field and I didn’t feel he was quite up to it off the race in Maryland. It was an easy decision to make.”
