Lynch running Eloquent Speaker back quick

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Only once in her brief training career has Natalia Lynch run a horse back in seven days or less. That horse, Halo City, won.

Friday, Lynch is trying the quick turnaround again with Eloquent Speaker, whom she claimed last Saturday for $45,000 and who she is running back in a first-level allowance that serves as Aqueduct’s feature on a nine-race card.

Lynch’s familiarity with Eloquent Speaker, whom she worked with during her time as an assistant to Jeremiah Englehart, is what compelled her to claim Eloquent Speaker when the 4-year-old filly was offered for the claiming price in an optional claimer/second-level New York-bred allowance last Friday. In what was her first start in five months, Eloquent Speaker finished a well-beaten second in a nine-horse field behind 7-5 favorite Breakfastatbonnies.

“Honestly, I thought she ran super, the time off did her well,” Lynch said Wednesday.

Eloquent Speaker made her first five starts for Englehart, winning a maiden race in June 2020 after running second on debut to next-out winner Quality Stones.

“She’s crazy, so I get along with her,” said Lynch, who described herself as a little bit crazy. “We kind of connect. She was always that filly in the barn that had one screw that wasn’t screwed all the way. When I saw that she was in for $45,000, I know the filly’s got some ability because I had breezed her so many times in the past.”

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Lynch said Eloquent Speaker reminds her of Halo City, whom she claimed last Jan. 28 for $40,000 and wheeled back seven days later to win a starter allowance. Lynch on Sunday entered Eloquent Speaker for this open-company allowance and believes “the race came up kind of surprisingly super easy.

“If she has what I think she has, I think she’s got a good shot,” added Lynch, who has Eric Cancel to ride Eloquent Speaker from post 3.

Eloquent Speaker figures to be stalking a potential pace duel between Madera, an open allowance winner at Finger Lakes last out who will be ridden by 10-pound apprentice Ailsa Morrison, and Bastet, a neck loser in an open $25,000 claimer on Nov. 13.

Fight On Lucy won a second-level New York-bred allowance by four lengths on Sept. 19 at Belmont Park. She has finished a well-beaten fifth in a pair of stakes since and will be facing open company for the first time.

Jades Gelly, Happy Sophia, and Firing Carol complete the field.