Missy Greer has speed to control pace

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The official start of winter is still three weeks away, but with temperatures reaching only the low 40s and a nine-race card full of only dirt races Thursday at Aqueduct, winter comes early for New York horseplayers.

The turf season on this circuit came to a close Sunday when Star Devine won the Autumn Days Stakes, the 149th and final turf race run over an 11-week span at Aqueduct, which hosted the 28-day Belmont Park fall meet before beginning its own 29-day fall stand on Nov. 4.

The second half of Aqueduct’s fall meet kicks off Thursday with a nine-race card topped by a second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claiming race for females going one mile.

Conditions could be right for Missy Greer to replicate her 3 1/4-length score at 14-1 in a first-level allowance race here on Oct. 2. She made the lead coming out of the chute and never relinquished it going a mile in the slop under Manny Franco.

Rain was forecast for Wednesday, which could leave the track wet Thursday, and Missy Greer looks as though she could be the controlling speed if Franco chooses to be aggressive breaking from post 4.

:: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now!

“My filly is really, really fast if you let her be fast,” said Danny Gargan, who trains Missy Greer for West Paces Racing and Flying P Stable. “I really like her in the race. Eventually, she’s going to win a stake race.”

Corey, a seven-time winner and one of two horses in this field being offered for the claiming price, has some speed to be prominent early under Irad Ortiz Jr. Corey, trained by Peter Walder, is coming off a fifth-place finish behind Boston Post Road in the Pumpkin Pie Stakes here on Oct. 29.

“It was probably too tough,” said Walder, who trains Corey for Eric Bachinsky. “She was sitting good and didn’t finish up like she should have. Hopefully, the class relief will help.”

Tap the Faith and Far Away Love finished three-quarters of a length apart when third and fourth, respectively, behind dead-heat winners Sweet Willemina and Self Isolation in this same condition on Oct. 27. Tap the Faith, a $1.25 million yearling purchase, was a bit keen early on in that race and was widest of all in the lane in what was her first start off a 116-day layoff.

Joel Rosario rides Tap the Faith for Christophe Clement.

Far Away Love, trained by Bill Mott, is 0 for 2 in the U.S. after winning two of three starts in her native Argentina.

Hoodooland was on the lead in a 1 1/8-mile allowance in which she faded to fifth at Keeneland on Oct. 21. She may appreciate the cutback to a one-turn mile.

Toned Up, in for the claiming price, completes the field.

First post Thursday is 12:20 p.m.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.