Marilyn's Guy strong off last at Aqueduct

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Friday’s $47,000 feature was scheduled for last Saturday’s Aqueduct card that was halted after three wind-blown races. Though it was brought back at the same distance of a mile and 70 yards and carries the same second-level allowance conditions and optional $50,000 claim price, there are notable differences between the first and second versions.

First and foremost is the addition of Marilyn’s Guy, who immediately took over the role of morning-line favorite on the strength of a game win under these same conditions last out.

Marilyn’s Guy was not entered originally by Kiaran McLaughlin, but six extra days afford the 5-year-old gelding a bit more recovery time since Jan. 23, when he delivered a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 101 and got up in the shadow of the wire. That effort was all the more remarkable because he raced wide every step of the way.

The second major change is the absence of Hermosillo, an early-pace horse, who ran back on Presidents’ Day instead and led all the way to post an upset at 23-1.

Removing that element of speed from the equation potentially makes things easier up front for Writingonthewall, who was second in two prior starts at the meet behind the streaking Inherit the Gold.

Writingonthewall was claimed for $35,000 last out by Repole Stable and given over to Todd Pletcher. He was scratched from the G’Day Mate overnight stakes last Thursday in favor of this race, and that turned out to be a shrewd move in hindsight, because there was a severe anti-speed bias, and the favorite, Icabad Crane, ran big to win going away.

However, Writingonthewall got the outside post in a field of 7 when this race was redrawn. Meanwhile, Dominant Jeannes, who has trained sharply since wiring a first-level allowance through soft fractions Jan. 1, was to break from the outside last week, but has the rail now. The outside draw prompted trainer Tom Albertrani to say the gelding might rate off the pace - “I think he’ll be better off with a target,” he said. But such tactics may wait for another day in view of the redraw.

The second new addition to the field is the Pletcher-trained No Shenanigans, who dueled in an overnight stake last out and paved the way for stablemate Modern Cowboy to win from off the pace.

Easy Gallop, Red Leader and Indy Scent complete the lineup.