Miss Dracarys fresh and ready for distance test
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Miss Dracarys has shown the ability to run well fresh. She now needs to show the capability to handle nine furlongs when she tries that distance for the first time in a second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claiming race on turf that serves as the feature on Thursday’s nine-race Aqueduct card.
Miss Dracarys, who will be trainer Neil Drysdale’s first starter at this Belmont at the Big A meet, has not run since a fourth-place finish in this condition going seven furlongs June 10 at Belmont Park. In her only other start this year, Miss Dracarys finished second to Love and Thunder in this condition going one mile at Belmont. That race came off a six-month layoff, and the 87 Beyer Speed Figure earned that day equaled her best.
Miss Dracarys won her career debut going six furlongs in December 2020 at Aqueduct and a 2021 first-level allowance off a 10-week layoff. That race was run at 1 1/16 miles. In her only other start at that distance, she finished third to Plum Ali in the Winter Memories Stakes here last November.
Drysdale said he chose not to run Miss Dracarys at Saratoga because he felt the courses would be too firm.
“I feel she might be better on ground with a bit of give in it,” he said. “When she’s been on firm ground she hasn’t run as well.”
Drysdale believes Miss Dracarys should handle the added distance.
“I think she’s more settled now that she’s older,” he said. “She’s more mature now.”
Thursday’s race includes the U.S. debut of Lady Day, a daughter of Motivator, who has not run in 13 months. Previously trained by Freddy Head in France, Lady Day will be making her first start for trainer Chad Brown.
Lady Day showed six workouts from March 1 to April 10 before Brown had to stop on her. She resumed a regular workout schedule on Aug. 27 and has had seven works since then.
Javier Castellano rides Lady Day form post 2.
Starship Mallomar, the only member of this field in for the tag, is coming off a win in this condition at Monmouth Park when she came from off the pace due to the presence of a runaway speed horse in the field. In her race previous to that, Starship Mallomar set the pace and finished second to even-money favorite Star Seeking.
Jairo Rendon rides Starship Mallomar from the rail.
Trainer Christophe Clement sends out the uncoupled pair of Community Adjusted and Creative Cairo. Community Adjusted did win at this distance at Belmont in June. Most recently she finished second in this condition Aug. 30 at Colonial Downs. Creative Cairo won her lone start at Aqueduct, a nine-furlong maiden race at this distance in April 2021.
Wicked Groove, trained by Rob Atras, won her previous start on turf, a first-level allowance going a mile at Saratoga. She finished a well-beaten third in an off-the-turf race here Sept. 22.
After rain fell here Monday, dry, albeit cooler, conditions were expected to prevail the remainder of the week.
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