Juveniles get two-turn dirt tests in Damon Runyon, East View stakes
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – New York-bred juveniles will attempt two turns for the first time on dirt Sunday, when Aqueduct hosts the Damon Runyon Stakes for males and the East View Stakes for females. Both races will be contested at a mile and 70 yards over the inner track.
Unlike last year, when Samraat dominated five rivals by 16 3/4 lengths in the Damon Runyon at 3-5, this year’s edition appears a lot more wide open, with a field of 12 topped by stakes winners Regal Minister and Good Luck Gus. The Damon Runyon goes as race 8.
The East View, which will go as race 3 on the nine-race card, drew a field of only six, with Freudie Anne the lone entrant with more than just a maiden win to her credit.
DAMON RUNYON S. (RACE 8)
KEY CONTENDERS
Regal Minister (Beyers: 79-80)
This son of Posse has won his first two starts, both sprinting and both at generous odds.
“He had done well in the morning. I don’t try to break any sound barriers,” trainer Mark Hennig said. “I guess he didn’t impress the powers that be, but I was very confident in him in both of his starts.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Regal Minister. Trainer Mark Hennig is 35-2-7-3 with a $0.53 ROI over the past five years going sprint to route with juveniles. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Buy Formulator PPs
:: Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
On trying two turns for the first time, Hennig said, “I think on the inner track, it shouldn’t be a problem to stretch his speed.”
Manuel Franco, who has ridden nine winners through the first seven days of the inner-track meet, has the mount.
Saint Joseph (Last 3 Beyers: 85-77-22)
After finishing fourth to Regal Minister in an Oct. 8 maiden race, the son of Flatter came back to win a seven-furlong maiden race over Aqueduct’s main track by 1 3/4 lengths for trainer Chad Brown. The runner-up from that race, Persuasive Devil, came back to win a maiden special weight race here Dec. 5.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Saint Joseph. Trainer Chad Brown is 15-3-4-0 with a $0.85 ROI over the past five years going sprint to route on dirt following a maiden victory. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
In his maiden win, Saint Joseph showed good tactical speed to stalk the pace and then drew away after brushing with the pacesetting Got Winged at the eighth pole.
Good Luck Gus (Last 3 Beyers: 65-84-79)
Won the New York Breeders’ Futurity going six furlongs at Finger Lakes in October before running second to Ostrolenka in the Sleepy Hollow going a mile at Belmont.
He enters this race off a fifth-place finish as the 3-5 favorite in the Notebook Stakes.
“If you watch the race, he was jumping and climbing the whole race,” trainer Rudy Rodriguez said. “At the top of the stretch, he checked and almost clipped heels, and then when he got to the outside, he started moving along. I think he got very scared when the dirt hit him in the face.”
He has to break from post 12, which Rodriguez doesn’t necessarily view as a bad thing.
“I like it. It’s a good post for him, especially when he doesn’t like the dirt in the face,” Rodriguez said. “He should be able to break good and get himself in a good position. I know he’s going to lose some ground, but it’s not a perfect world.”
EAST VIEW S. (RACE 3)
KEY CONTENDERS
Freudie Anne (Last 3 Beyers: 71-39-73)
The only member of the field with two wins, Freudie Anne is coming off a dominant 4 1/2-length score in an off-the-turf, first-level allowance going a mile over the main track.
“She’s doing as well as she possibly could,” said trainer Eddie Kenneally, who has won with two of his first three starters at the meet. “If she likes the inner track, she’ll be awful tough.”
After winning her debut sprinting on turf at Belmont in September, Freudie Anne finished last in the Joseph A. Gimma going seven furlongs over a muddy track.
“She didn’t break sharp and got discouraged early on when the dirt hit her in the face; nothing went right for her,” Kenneally said. “She’s a filly who’s grown up a little bit since then.”
Building Permit (Last 3 Beyers: 65-59-40)
After losing by 14 lengths sprinting in her debut, she has improved in her two one-turn, one-mile races, winning a maiden event in the mud by 6 1/2 lengths before finishing second to Freudie Anne last out.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Possilicious. Trainer Kelly Breen is 23-12-6-0 with a $4.94 ROI over the past five years with juveniles going sprint to route on dirt. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan