OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Khali Magic looks to be the potential controlling speed and could get the wet track she relished last time when she goes for her third consecutive victory in Friday’s New York-bred second-level $45,000 allowance/optional-claiming feature going one mile at Aqueduct. Four of Khali Magic’s eight career victories have come in this condition, twice when running under the allowance condition – she skipped her first-level condition in 2022 – and twice when in for the claiming tag that she is in for again Friday. Khali Magic came from just off the pace to win this condition going a mile at odds of 10-1 on Dec. 31, stalking next-out winner Sue Ellen Mishkin and drawing clear to win by 3 3/4 lengths. Khali Magic came back four weeks later to romp to a 9 3/4-length victory in the slop, also at a mile. She was claimed that day from Gustavo Rodriguez by Orlando Noda, who said he believes he won a three-way shake to obtain the daughter of Al Khali. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Noda said his plan was to give Khali Magic 30 days off and bring her back in this same condition in which she’s enjoyed success. Khali Magic will have six weeks between starts entering Friday’s race and shows a solid half-mile workout in 47.40 seconds on March 9, the sixth-fastest of 168 workouts at the distance. “She worked well in hand,” Noda said. “The owner said that was kind of fast, but I said she did it well within herself. I think we’re going to run a big race.” Noda said he wasn’t concerned with track condition Friday. “Whichever way, we’re going to be ready to rumble,” he said. Trevor McCarthy will ride Khali Magic from post 4 in the eight-horse field. Ribot’s Valentine, who steps up into this category, goes first off the claim for Mike Maker and looks like the potential speed in the field. Though she won going seven furlongs last out, she finished last the only time she raced beyond one mile. Maker also sends out Gone and Forgotten, who finished second to Khali Magic on Dec. 31 and who is dropping back into this condition after finishing fifth of seven in the Broadway Stakes on Feb. 17. Midtown Lights, trained by Brad Cox, has been a beaten favorite in this condition in her last two starts. Cox is adding blinkers for this race. Cox is 53 for 252 (21 percent) going first-time blinkers the last two years. Manny Franco rides Midtown Lights from the rail. Racing Colors snapped a 19-race losing streak when winning a first-level statebred allowance going a mile Feb. 11 for trainer Norman Follett. Amity Island, April Antics, and My First Love complete the field. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.