Mid-Atlantic runners invade for turf route allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With the Laurel turf course shut down for the remainder of the year, entries for turf races at Aqueduct are littered with horses based in the Mid-Atlantic region. Case in point is Thursday’s $90,000 first-level allowance feature, which drew five of its nine turf entrants from trainers based in Maryland or Delaware.

Trainer Michael Matz has shipped up two, Beale Street and Monhegan, hoping not only to take advantage of the turf but also the marathon distance of 1 3/8 miles.

Monhegan, a 4-year-old daughter of English Channel, has made three previous trips to New York, finishing fourth and third in two starts at Belmont and then fourth, beaten 4 1/2 lengths by Beau Belle, in a 1 3/16-mile turf race at Saratoga. That race produced six next-out winners including Monhegan, who won a 1 1/4-mile maiden race at Colonial Downs on Sept. 7. That was her ninth start.

“I though that was a good race for her where she settled right off the pace then made a nice run,” Matz said of Monhegan’s maiden victory. “She’d been close a couple of times. She’s a big filly and she was a little bit backwards at first, but hopefully the light bulb turned on.”

John Velazquez, aboard Monhegan in her three prior New York visits, is back aboard on Thursday.

Beale Street, a 3-year-old daughter of Quality Road, is coming off a runner-up finish in this condition going 1 1/16 miles at Laurel on Sept 28. In that race, she was eighth, 12 lengths back at the eighth pole and closed to lose by only 1 1/2 lengths to Jabuticaba, who came back to run second in a stakes at Parx on Oct. 6.

“A couple of times he’s weaving his way in and out of horses instead of moving to the outside and letting her run straight,” Matz said of jockey Jorge Vargas Jr., who rides Beale Street again on Thursday. “Hopefully, we’ll get a nice trip.”

James Lawrence is shipping Tass to New York for the fourth consecutive time. She is coming off a starter allowance win going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont on Oct. 13, her first start on Lasix.

Hubert Gaffney, based in the Mid-Atlantic region, entered both Alydarius and Broken English.

Locally based runners include Fancy That for Kiaran McLaughlin and Quiet Dignity for Chad Brown.

Fancy That comes off two second-place finishes in this condition and figures to be forwardly placed under Jose Ortiz.

“Jose, when he rode her at Saratoga, he felt he learned something about her,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “She was fifth at the eighth pole and finished second. We’re happy to have Jose back on her.”

Quiet Dignity, a 3-year-old daughter of Kitten’s Joy who started her career in France, has run basically the same kind of race in each of her three starts for trainer Chad Brown.

Whatdoesasharksay and Betty F complete the field on turf. Kingdom’s Queen and Team Win were entered for the main track.

Thursday’s nine-race card has a first post of 12:20 p.m. and kicks off a five-day race week that concludes with a Veteran’s Day program on Monday.