Mother Nature may play spoiler on Thursday carryovers
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Carryovers in the pick six and the late pick five heat up a pedestrian eight-race Thursday card at Aqueduct, but Mother Nature is likely to put those wagers on ice for another day.
Thursday’s forecast in the New York metropolitan area calls for a high of 15 degrees and below-zero windchills, making it unlikely there will be live racing at Aqueduct. If the forecast is wrong, then horseplayers may chase a $19,736 carryover in the pick six and a $38,520 carryover in the late pick five. The pick five is restricted to those who wager through a NYRA Bets account or who bet ontrack or at an in-state simulcast venue.
Two allowance races for New York-breds are in both sequences.
Race 4, the second leg of the pick six and first leg of the pick five, is a first-level allowance for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs.
Trainer Jeremiah Englehart appears to have a strong uncoupled entry in Stonesintheroad and Take Me to Hardoon.
Stonesintheroad, a daughter of Bustin Stones, lived up to her 7-5 favoritism in her Dec. 30 debut, chasing and then passing the pacesetting Ja’s Malibu to win by four lengths. The effort, which yielded a 65 Beyer Speed Figure, was flattered when third-place finisher Countable and fourth-place finisher Abraxan came back to win their next starts.
Moreover, Stonesintheroad could find herself as the primary speed breaking from the rail under Rajiv Maragh.
Take Me to Hardoon has been a source of frustration for Englehart. After winning her debut Sept. 2 at Saratoga, Take Me to Hardoon finished seventh, beaten 25 lengths by Jaywalk in the Grade 1 Frizette. After finishing a decent third in the Key Cents Stakes, Take Me to Hardoon was beaten 41 lengths in the East View Stakes, a one-mile race run in the mud.
Cutting back to six furlongs and facing easier company should make Take Me to Hardoon a player in this spot.
Trainer Gary Contessa also has two runners in this field.
Bustin Scones won her debut in a statebred maiden $50,000 claiming race by 1 1/4 lengths in the mud for Contessa on Dec. 22. Saratoga Style was claimed by Contessa for $30,000 on Nov. 23, a race in which she finished second but was elevated to first.
Quietude just won this condition when sent off at 60-1 on Jan. 6, though this field looks tougher. Stabilize finished third to Quietude in that race and is adding blinkers Thursday.
Race 7 is a first-level allowance for New York-bred males going 6 1/2 furlongs. Ready to Escape finished third as the favorite in a similar spot as this on Jan. 11 and adds blinkers. He was a front-running winner Dec. 13.
Ready to Escape could get hooked early with Lohengrin Two, who make his first start since Nov. 20 and first on this circuit after running eight times at Finger Lakes. A duel could set things up for Lem Me Tel Ya, Suas, and Our Last Buck.
