Mister Blues back in town

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Though trainer John Kimmel usually takes his best stock to south Florida for the winter, he has left enough talented horses in New York to win at a 31-percent clip over the last two inner track meets.

With a large stable, Kimmel is able to reload his New York barn with horses who spent the summer racing competitively in New Jersey or Delaware. Mister Blues is a case in point.

Mister Blues, who began his career over the inner track two winters ago, returns to Aqueduct for a third-level allowance race that serves as Friday's feature on a nine-race card. The race will be run at one mile and 70 yards.

Mister Blues won his maiden by six lengths in Feb. 2001, but four months later he suffered a fractured foot that sidelined him for one year. Since his return, Mister Blues has recorded two wins from six starts, taking allowance races at Monmouth Park and Delaware.

Mister Blues is coming off a 15 1/4-length loss in an optional claiming race at Delaware on Oct. 29, in which he broke from the outside post in an eight-horse field and could never save ground.

"He could have gotten a hot dog and a coke where he was at,'' Kimmel said. "He broke from the outside and [jockey Chris DeCarlo] should have taken him back or sent him, but he was in between.''

Friday, Mister Blues breaks from the rail in and should be able to get a ground-saving trip under Dennis Carr. Mister Blues has the versatility to run from on or off the pace, but figures to be stalking Classic Endeavor, Private Lap, or No Show Jim.

Private Lap, trained by Allen Iwinski, had a three-race win streak snapped when he finished second behind Smooth Jazz, who was razor sharp in a Nov. 7 allowance race here. Private Lap should appreciate stretching back out to two turns.

Lord Ofthe Thunder, a New York-bred, has won the last two open company allowance races in which he has competed.

Trainer Jennifer Pedersen said Lord Ofthe Thunder came out of that race with a bruised foot, but is doing better now. Pedersen's only concern is if the inner track is too speed favoring.

"He likes to come from behind, so it better rain or snow,'' Pedersen said during Wednesday's races. "He's fresh, and he runs well fresh."

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