Longer distance will test Hammerin Aamer
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There are two second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claiming races, one short, one long, on Friday’s nine-race card at Aqueduct.
A wet track is expected with rain perhaps turning into a wintry mix at some point during the day.
Race 8, brought back from last Saturday’s canceled card, is for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles, a distance that figures to test many in here, including Hammerin Aamer, an 8-year-old gelding by Jump Start. Hamminer Aamer is coming off a solid effort, winning a $40,000 claimer going a one-turn mile on Jan. 14 in his first start off the claim for Pat Reynolds.
Hammerin Aamer is 0 for 8 at 1 1/8 miles in his career.
“If he can ever get it, now is the time because he’s doing so good, so we’ll roll the dice,” Reynolds said.
Hammerin Aamer has the rail and Dylan Davis. Right to his outside is Texas Swing, a winner of three straight, all for Todd Pletcher. Texas Swing’s worst two races came at 1 1/8 miles.
Mystic Night is the probable favorite. He won a first-level allowance going nine furlongs here last March, though is winless since. He finished sixth of nine as the even-money favorite in the Queens County.
Completing the field are Pioneer Spirit, 4-1-5 from 12 wet-track starts, Tiergan, Prioritize, and Croatian.
Race 3, a six-furlong race for females, drew a field of five. Easy to Bless has twice finished second in this condition and is 2-2-0 from five wet-track starts.
Two starts back, Easy to Bless was second to the promising Oxana while outfinishing a next-out winner in Bold Confection.
Royal Meghan, Spun d’Etat, Dealing Justice, and Tara’s Talent complete the field.