Kalifornia Queen might be best of Brown trio in Long Island Stakes

Kalifornia Queen has reason to move forward on Friday when she makes her second start of the year in the Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island at Aqueduct.

The Long Island is one of two turf stakes on a card that features a total of four stakes. It is for fillies and mares over 1 3/8 miles on the grass. The other turf race on the nine-race program is the $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship.

Kalifornia Queen is among three Chad Brown-trained runners in the six-horse Long Island. She will be joined in the starting gate by stablemates Rocky Sky and Capital Structure, who finished one-two last out in the Grade 3 Waya at Aqueduct.

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Kalifornia Queen last raced on Sept. 24, finishing third in the Grade 3 Athenia at Aqueduct. The start was her first in about a year. Kalifornia Queen had closed out her 2021 campaign in October, with a close third-place finish in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine.

“That one was a little frustrating because it took us a while to get her to the races this year,” Brown said.

“Her best distance might be just short of this, a mile and a quarter. But we have very limited options left and I do want to get her running consistently. I could see her going to Florida and going through that series down there as a fresh horse.”

Jose Lezcano has the mount on Kalifornia Queen from post 5.

Rocky Sky, who started her career in her native Ireland, won for the first time in the U.S. in the Waya, which was run at this same distance Oct. 2 at Aqueduct. Rocky Sky earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 91.

“That one took me a while to figure out,” Brown said. “She had me all confused as far as how far she wanted to run. At one time I thought she wanted a cutback and then I got her back out again.

“She always trained with promise, but I think this is what she wants to do, the three turns.”

Manny Franco has the mount from post 4.

Capital Structure finished a length and a quarter back in the Waya.

“She always acted like she wanted to run this far, it just took a while to get her here,” Brown said. “This is her best trip.”

Capital Structure ran wide in the Waya, and Brown said he thought that cost her a couple of lengths.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount from post 6.

Brown is the leading trainer at the fall meet at Aqueduct, having gone 12 for 35 for a 34-percent strike rate entering the week’s racing. Six of his wins have come on the turf.

“With Aqueduct, I think it’s a situation where if they take to the turf and you can work out a trip, you’re going to run good,” Brown said. “I’ve had some horses we’ve sent over there – as good a meet as we’re having – they didn’t care for it and that’s okay.

“It’s a late fall, damp, lush turf course that does have a little wear on it. It’s going to be a particular type of turf where you have to be prepared when you run horses over it. It’s not a given they’re going to go over there and just fly over it.”

The chief threat to the Brown trio in the Long Island is 8-5 morning-line favorite Temple City Terror, the winner of the Grade 3 Dowager over 1 1/2 miles on the grass Oct. 23 at Keeneland. She won by three lengths and earned a Beyer of 97, the best last-race number in the Long Island. Jose Ortiz has the mount from post 2 for trainer Brendan Walsh.

Aqueduct Turf Sprint

Dancing Buck’s last race pops off the page in a field of 12 for the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship, which is for 3-year-olds and up over six furlongs on the outer turf. He won the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint by five lengths and earned a Beyer of 103, the best last-race number in the race. Dancing Buck has won three of his last four starts.

The Turf Sprint Championship drew 16 horses, with three entered for the main track only: Jaxon Traveler, Happy Farm, and Greeley and Ben. Prime Factor is the lone also-eligible.

Manny Franco has the mount on Dancing Buck from post 12 for trainer Michelle Nevin.

Bad Beat Brian was supplemented to the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship following a fourth in the Grade 2 Woodford at Keeneland. He finished in a dead heat with Gear Jockey, who also is entered in this race. They were beaten two lengths by the winner, Golden Pal.

Lezcano has the mount on Gear Jockey from post 9 and Chris Emigh has been named to ride Bad Beat Brian from post 2.

Gear Jockey is on the cusp of becoming a millionaire, with earnings of $996,071.

– additional reporting by David Grening

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