Old but reliable, Factor It In looks live

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Factor It In has won three of the last four allowance races in which he’s run. Friday, the 8-year-old son of The Factor ships up from Maryland to New York to participate in another multi-conditioned allowance, which serves as the feature on Aqueduct’s eight-race program.

Factor It In, a two-time stakes winner, comes out of the Dave’s Friend Stakes on Dec. 23 at Laurel Park, where he finished fifth, beaten three-quarters of a length, in a field where eight of the top 10 finishers were separated by 2 1/2 lengths.

Trainer Carlos Mancilla felt that jockey Angel Cruz might have moved a tad too early, though he was forced wide.

“If he sat there a little bit longer, I think we could have done better,” Mancilla said.

Two starts back, Factor It In did do better, winning a 5 1/2-furlong allowance at Laurel in the mud.

Mancilla said he liked the idea of running in another allowance event before possibly attempting a stakes race. In his last two visits to Aqueduct, both in fall 2022, Factor It In finished third, beaten a neck, in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight and third, beaten a half-length, in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler.

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Though Factor It In shows a slow half-mile work in 52 seconds leading into Friday, Mancilla said “I think he’s going to be tough in that race.”

Trevor McCarthy will become the 14th jockey to ride Factor It In, who on Friday breaks from the rail.

Factor It In does appear to do his best running from a stalking position. With Fluid Situation and Swiftsure in the field, there should be ample pace.

Twenty Four Mamba comes in off a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure winning a second-level allowance by a neck Dec. 9.

That was just one of two wins from 57 starters trainer Charlton Baker has had on this circuit since Aug. 18.

Two starts back, Twenty Four Mamba finished second to Divine Armor, one of two entered in this spot by owner/trainer David Jacobson. In his two starts since that win, Divine Armor finished sixth in a one-mile allowance here Nov. 26 and last of eight in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance Dec. 29 at Laurel.

Divine Armor is coupled with Spun and Won, who is winless in three starts since Jacobson claimed him for $62,500 out of a winning effort in the slop here in September.

Nova Rags won a similarly conditioned race as this on Dec. 15 with a perfect off-the-pace trip under Junior Alvarado for Bill Mott. Jose Lezcano picks up the mount Friday.

Fluid Situation, trained by John Terranova, has made eight of his nine starts on turf. With blinkers added for the first time, Fluid Situation won a second-level allowance going six furlongs on turf on Oct. 27 at Aqueduct.

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