Mother Nature could derail Wavell Avenue's attempt to win fourth straight

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – In the unlikely event that there is live racing at Aqueduct on Wednesday, Wavell Avenue will seek her fourth consecutive victory when she tops a field of six entered in a $69,000, second-level allowance race for fillies and mares going a mile over the inner track.

However, a winter storm that could bring 20-plus inches of snow to the New York metropolitan area by the time it ends Tuesday likely would prompt officials to cancel Wednesday’s eight-race card.

Mother Nature might be the only force that could stop Wavell Avenue, who has reeled off three consecutive victories by a combined margin of 14 1/2 lengths. Wavell Avenue, a 4-year-old Ontario-bred daughter of Harlington, is owned by Michael Dubb, David Simon, and Bethlehem Stables and is trained by Chad Brown.

Three of Wavell Avenue’s five challengers – Lunar Surge, Faith Hall, and Image of Anna – finished second, fourth, and fifth in this same condition going a mile and 70 yards Dec. 28.

Evening Show and Agawa complete the field.

KEY CONTENDERS

Wavell Avenue (Last 3 Beyers: 91-89-87)

◗ After showing little in her first two starts, Wavell Avenue has reeled off three straight eye-catching wins, starting with an off-the-turf score for a $40,000 claiming price in the slop at Belmont.

◗ She took a first-level optional-claiming race by six lengths over the inner track Jan. 1, racing up close but three wide down the backstretch, making an explosive move to the lead in upper stretch, and being taken in hand late by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

◗ She shows two solid half-mile breezes since her most recent win.

Lunar Surge (Last 3 Beyers: 75-77-85)

◗ She has been mired in this condition for nearly nine months, finishing second twice from six starts, including a nose loss to Holiday’s Jewel here Dec. 28.

◗ She showed a good late kick when rallying from 14 lengths back to get beat just a length in this condition at Churchill Downs on Halloween.

◗ She has a win and two seconds in four starts over the inner track.

◗ She fired a bullet five-furlong work Jan. 21 on the Belmont training track.

◗ She is reunited with Cornelio Velasquez, who was aboard for her last victory March 29.

Evening Show (Last 3 Beyers: 78-81-77)

◗ She finished a neck in front of Lunar Surge in a Dec. 3 race over the inner track. The top two finishers from that race came back to win their next start, including America, who won the $100,000 Affectionately Stakes on New Year’s Day.

Faith Hall (Last 3 Beyers: 67-59-67)

◗ She set the pace before fading to fourth behind Holiday’s Jewel and Lunar Surge in the Dec. 28 race, her first start in 6 1/2 months and her first start for trainer Leah Gyarmati.

◗ She figures to try to take them as far as she can as fast as she can under Ruben Silvera.