O'Trouble finding patience pays off

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It was by circumstance that the connections of O’Trouble found a more suitable running style for the 4-year-old gelding. Now that he’s learned to settle and finish, perhaps O’Trouble can continue his success in Friday’s first-level allowance feature at Aqueduct.

Two starts back, in just a four-horse field on Jan. 22, O’Trouble was steadied back to last soon after the start. After saving ground for the opening half-mile while remaining a couple of lengths off the pace, O’Trouble tipped outside at the quarter pole and closed to win by four lengths.

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In his first start against winners, on Feb. 21, O’Trouble again came from off the pace, only this time his late run fell a half-length shy of Runningwscissors, a New York-bred who was winning for the eighth time.

“I thought the horse that beat him last time was as decent and solid a horse as you’ll find in an a-other-than in the winter time,” said Tony Dutrow, trainer of O’Trouble. “I thought ‘Trouble’ was getting to him. I thought they were glad the finish line was where it was.”

Prior to his last two starts, O’Trouble was asked by his rider to get involved early in his races. It often took away from his finish.

“We were riding him away from there, and he didn’t finish as well,” said Dutrow, who is 7 for 14 in 2021. “I think [sitting early] has a great deal to do with why he’s run so well the last two times. I don’t know if that’s going to be the case Friday. There’s not much speed, but he’s got an outside post. If he breaks well, he’ll be fine.”

O’Trouble will have a new rider as Dylan Davis takes over for Eric Cancel.

Cancel has chosen to ride Mister Winston for Chad Brown. Mister Winston, a son of Lookin At Lucky, has not raced since he finished seventh in this condition Aug. 1 at Saratoga.

Mister Winston did win at first asking last April at Gulfstream Park, and Brown has solid numbers off extended layoffs.

The wildcard of the field is Bank On Shea, a New York-bred son of Central Banker who in 2019 won the $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series.

He won that race for Jason Servis, who subsequently ran him back in the Gander Stakes on Feb. 21, 2020, and he finished second. A few weeks after that race, Servis was arrested by federal authorities and charged with administering misbranded medications to his horses, all of whom have since been transferred to other trainers.

Bank On Shea is now trained by Tyler Servis, Jason’s nephew. Bank On Shea is making his first start in 13 months and first against open company.

“He’s plenty fit, he’s been training for a while,” Servis said. “We’re pretty optimistic about him. He’s not a horse that has a ton of speed, but he’s got a late turn of foot sprinting.”

Bank On Shea’s victory in the Great White Way came over a wet surface, which he is likely to get Friday.

Somebody, Edge of Fire, Popizar, and Manolito complete the field.