Nicks among new faces at meet

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Ralph Nicks is one of the new faces on the Belmont Park backstretch this spring and summer and will have a 19- to 20-horse string based here. Nicks was based here last fall, winning four races from 13 starters. The last time he had a New York string in the spring was in 2012.

“The timing is right to do that,” said Nicks, whose main base of operations is Gulfstream Park. “It gives me the opportunity to place horses where they’re the most productive.”

Among the horses Nicks will have in New York is Magnifier, a 4-year-old gelding by Awesome Again who won a maiden race at Aqueduct in March by 14 1/2 lengths, earning a 93 Beyer Speed Figure. He is targeting a first-level allowance race on May 6.

Nicks is now training Mylute, a multiple stakes winner in his youth who is pointing to the Grade 3 Westchester here on May 7.

One horse who will be joining the stable later is Tap to It, the runner-up in last year’s Grade 1 Spinaway who is on the farm after developing an issue following a fifth-place finish in the Margate Handicap at Gulfstream in February.