No Sleep vs. Forgotten Promise

No Sleep and Forgotten Promise, who have been in sharp form this winter, drew favorable posts for their showdown in Thursday's featured eighth race at Aqueduct.

The one-mile race for fillies and mares has third-level allowance conditions and an optional claiming price of $75,000. It drew a field of seven, headed by the Gary Contessa-trained entry of No Sleep and Game Card, and the Bob Klesaris-trained Forgotten Promise.

No Sleep and Forgotten Promise each has a two-race winning streak on the line. No Sleep's streak began when he was paired with rider Ramon Dominguez, and Forgotten Promise's when he was partnered with Kyle Kaenel.

, who breaks from the advantageous inside post, has won 3 of her 4 starts on dirt since being claimed by Contessa for $25,000 last fall at Belmont Park. She overcame post 10 to easily win an entry-level allowance route in her first start under Dominguez, and came back to crush a two-other-than allowance group under mild urging last out.

also has two open-length victories since returning from a layoff and getting a switch to Kaenel, who is far in front as the winter's leading apprentice rider. Both wins came on harrowed wet tracks.

A need-the-lead type, Forgotten Promise was never headed in her comeback Jan. 19 versus $35,000 claimers. She returned 15 days later and ran second-level allowance rivals off their feet, and upped her lifetime record on the inner track to 4 wins from 9 starts.

Forgotten Promise, entered for the $75,000 claim price, breaks from post 2 and gets five pounds from No Sleep, thanks to Kaenel's weight allowance. She has won 5 of 8 races at the one-mile distance.

is also in for $75,000. She comes out of a distant third-place finish in a four-horse renewal of the Rare Treat Handicap. She will be ridden by apprentice Pablo Morales and gets 10 pounds from her razor-sharp entrymate.

Any of the remaining four entrants can be a strong factor on her best effort.

Maria's Dance closed out 2005 with an allowance win during the opening week of the winter meet and is back from Gulfstream Park after a fifth-place finish at this level for trainer Mark Hennig.

Chunk of Love has finished in the money in all eight of her starts for trainer Steve Klesaris. She was victimized by a slow pace while chasing favored Coded Princess last out.

Bayou Breeze, winner of the Revidere Stakes last summer, and Victory Pool, no worse than second in her last six starts, complete the field.