Litfin's preview: Rain-soaked turf course

Friday, Oct. 24, preview

T-MINUS 30

We’re down to 30 races remaining at the fall meet, with 10-race cards on tap Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

In the wake of a slow-moving storm that soaked Long Island, the turf courses are likely to be no better than yielding. As of late afternoon Thursday, it was uncertain whether any of Friday’s six scheduled grass races would be switched to the main track.

Overall, 18 of the last 30 races at the meet are scheduled for grass. On the bright side, the forecast is favorable for Friday and right through closing weekend, with “zero chance” of rain, according to those who handicap such things.

LAST CALL FOR TURF SPRINTERS

Turf sprinters get their final chance before the scene shifts to Aqueduct on Wednesday, where all grass racing involves either two or three turns. There are 11 turf sprints scheduled over the next three days, beginning with five Friday.

Highlighting the action is race 9, a seven-furlong optional claimer with third-level allowance conditions that pits the bargain claim Golden Rifle against the promising import War Correspondent.

Golden Rifle was haltered by Chad Brown for $30,000 at Gulfstream Park in March and swept three starts against steadily tougher company at Belmont’s spring-summer meet. After a freshening, he has returned with two runner-up finishes, the latest against the Breeders’ Cup-bound Bio Pro.

War Correspondent was sidelined for more than a year after finishing second in Deauville, France, in July 2013. He showed no signs of rust in his U.S. and seasonal debut for Christophe Clement, taking a second-level allowance at Monmouth Park by four widening lengths last month.

The Shadwell Stable entry of Abtaal and Mutin also bear watching as they return from layoffs for Kiaran McLaughlin and break from the two outside posts. Both of them won on soft or good-to-soft ground overseas.

The only scheduled turf route is race 4, a $77,000 preliminary allowance at 1 1/4 miles; should it come off the grass, the distance would change to 1 1/8 miles.

HORSE TO WATCH

FROST JORDAN
Trainer: Mike Hushion
Last race: Oct. 22, 8th
Finish: 4th by 7 3/4
Beyer: 68
Rallied belatedly in the slop, getting a useful conditioning race in his first outing since May; has finished in the money in all five starts at Aqueduct on both dirt tracks.