Laoban well represented in Great White Way and Fifth Avenue divisions of New York Stallion Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though the stallion Laoban has been whisked away to Kentucky from New York, his impact on the New York breeding program will still be felt for years to come. Laoban’s influence is all over the pair of $250,000 New York Stallion Stakes for 2-year-olds that highlight Sunday’s closing day program of Aqueduct’s 18-day fall meet.

Laoban sired six of the 24 2-year-olds entered between the Great White Way division, for males, and the Fifth Avenue division, for fillies, both at seven furlongs. His progeny include the horses to beat in each race – Dreamer’s Disease in the Great White Way and Laobanonaprayer in the Fifth Avenue.

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Dreamer’s Disease, trained by Robertino Diodoro, is coming out of a sixth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. His stablemate Keepmeinmind finished third in the Juvenile, then came back to win last Saturday’s Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs.

Dreamer’s Disease dueled on the early lead with Likeable and tired in the Juvenile.

“The plan was to have him on the lead, he just went a little bit too fast,” Diodoro said. “Had trouble getting him to relax when [Likeable] come up on the outside of him early down the backside and put pressure on him. It was definitely the plan to be on the lead and I don’t think we’ll be changing tactics on Sunday.”

Dreamer’s Disease may have to deal with other speed types in this race, including The King Cheek and New York One, in from Parx and Kentucky, respectively.

Prior to his run in the Breeders’ Cup, Dreamer’s Disease won an open-company first-level allowance at Keeneland in front-running fashion.

Dreamer’s Disease will be shortening up to seven furlongs in the Great White Way, but Diodoro believes that will be a plus.

“I think the seven-eighths is going to hit him right in the head,” he said. “I really like the distance.”

Dylan Davis rides Dreamer’s Disease from post 7.

Uno is another son of Laoban, and he looks like the major threat to Dreamer’s Disease. Uno, a $255,000 2-year-old in-training purchase, was a 3 3/4-length first-out winner for trainer Todd Pletcher and Mathis Stable here on Nov. 12.

That race was run over a muddy surface, a condition that may be in play Sunday depending on how much rain falls here on Saturday.

“He’s stepping up and all that, but really happy with the way he ran first time,” Pletcher said.

Hold the Salsa has already pulled off two upsets in New York, winning his debut at 25-1 in July and the Bertram F. Bongard at 7-1 in October, both at Belmont. He is coming out of a fourth-place finish behind winner Brooklyn Strong in the one-mile Sleepy Hollow at Belmont on Oct. 24. Brooklyn Strong was entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Remsen Stakes.

Fifth Avenue Stakes

Laobanonaprayer, who won the Maid of the Mist Stakes as a maiden on Oct. 24, tops the dozen 2-year-old fillies entered in the Fifth Avenue. The Fifth Avenue field includes six maidens and only four horses that have won on dirt.

Laobanonaprayer won the Maid of the Mist with blinkers on for the first time.

“I just wanted her to focus,” trainer Daniel Velazquez said.

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Since the Maid of the Mist, Laobanonaprayer has put in two bullet works at Delaware Park.

“She’s been working better than she was going into the last race,” Velazquez said. “The blinkers on makes her sharp. I imagine her close to the pace and then closing. I don’t think the competition is going to be that steep. I think she’s going to be very competitive in that race.”

The only other progeny of Laoban in the Fifth Avenue is Jill’s a Hot Mess, who is still a maiden after four starts. She has the speed to be a forward factor in what will be her first start for trainer John Kimmel and owners Tobey Morton and America’s Pastime Stable.

Gray Destiny, a daughter of Mission Impazible, comes off a dominant off-the-turf maiden win going 1 1/16 miles for trainer Christophe Clement, who is attempting to win his first NYRA meet trainer’s title.

“I thought she won very well,” Clement said. “I would prefer the race to be a mile and a sixteenth than seven-eighths, but she’s eligible, and it’s a huge amount of money. I told the owners I’m probably running her too short, but she’s very healthy, she’s sound – let’s take a shot. The more pace the better.”

The sire War Dancer has three in here, including Ms Wicked, a winner on Woodbine’s synthetic surface, and Athena Dancer, a winner on turf. Both of those horses are trained by Wayne Potts.

The maiden U Should B Dancing, a runner-up in her last two starts, is the other daughter of War Dancer in this field. She is trained by Pat Kelly.