Mosienko starts over after stakes loss

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Mosienko had her four-race winning streak come to an abrupt halt when she finished last of eight in the Iroquois Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares on Oct. 30 at Aqueduct.

Thursday, she attempts to start a new streak when she drops back into the allowance ranks and meets just four rivals in a $100,000 third-level/optional $80,000 claiming race at six furlongs for fillies and mares that serves as the feature on Aqueduct’s nine-race card.

From Aug. 6 through Oct. 6, Mosienko reeled off four consecutive victories, twice winning New York-bred second-level allowance/optional-claiming races and then winning opening-company first- and second-level allowance conditions races.

In addition to the Iroquois being her third race in 39 days, Mosienko chased the pace while wide throughout and stalled out inside the eighth pole.

“Because she was so wide she might have gotten discouraged,” trainer Dennis Lalman said. “She came back good after the race and she’s been training good.”

The Iroquois has proven to be a productive race. Secret Love, third in that race, came back to win a second-level allowance last Friday with a career-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure. Bank Sting, second in the Iroquois, came back to run a solid second in last Saturday’s Grade 3 Go for Wand with a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

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With regular rider Luis Saez now in Florida for the winter, Mosienko will be ridden by Dylan Davis.

There is plenty of early speed in this race, and Lalman believes that plus her outside draw will benefit his 5-year-old mare, who is 5 for 13 this year.

“That will give her a chance to get a better position and finish up better in the race,” Lalman said.

Trainer Linda Rice sends out the uncoupled duo of Piece of My Heart and Fouette in this spot. Those two females finished second and third, respectively, behind Self Isolation in this same condition going seven furlongs on Nov. 11.

“It looks like there’s a lot of speed in the race, Fouette likes to run on the lead or close to it, [Piece of My Heart] is a stalker,” Rice said. “They’re both very live.”

Rice said she would prefer 6 1/2 or seven furlongs for Piece of My Heart “but there’s a lot of speed, so it might set up well for her.”

Part of that speed will be supplied by Thistlefield, who ships in from Parx Racing off two front-running victories for trainer Scott Lake. Javier Castellano, whose four wins over the weekend have put him atop the jockey standings with 20 victories, rides Thistlefield from post 3.

Hey Mamaluke, the only member of this field entered for the claiming price, is another who figures to show speed under Angel Hernandez for trainer Patricia Farro.

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