Pletcher hopes for a dry track

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher hopes the rainy weather that hit the New York area on Wednesday clears by Friday, and not just so his children have ideal conditions in which to go trick-or-treating.

Pletcher will send out Hermione's Magic in Friday's $47,000 featured entry-level allowance race for 2-year-old fillies going six furlongs. Hermione's Magic, a daughter of Forest Wildcat, won her maiden at first asking at Belmont Park on June 25, covering five furlongs in 56.82 seconds over a fast track and winning by six lengths. Hermione's Magic earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 85 for that effort.

Hermione's Magic caught sloppy tracks in both the Grade 2 Schuylerville at Saratoga, in which she finished third on July 23, and at Delaware Park, where she finished second in the NATC Futurity on Aug. 30. In the Schuylerville, she set the pace before giving way to stablemate Ashado, who subsequently won the Grade 1 Spinaway and, most recently, finished second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

In the NATC Sorority, Hermione's Magic stalked the pace before making the lead in midstretch, only to fall 2 1/2 lengths short to From Away, who came back to win the Irish Sonnet Stakes at Delaware on Oct. 6.

"Mike Luzzi thought she was never getting a hold of it and was running on heart alone," Pletcher said of Hermione's Magic's performance in the NATC Sorority. "She always tries. She's training well. We always thought she was a nice filly, and we hope she runs back to her first race."

Hermione's Magic will break from post 4 under John Velazquez.

Trainers Richard Dutrow Jr. and Rick Violette both have entered two horses in the race. Dutrow has entered both Stoic and Pacific Island, though he is allowed to run only one, because he has named jockey Edgar Prado on both.

Stoic drops back into allowance company after being eased in the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga on Aug. 29. Two starts back, also at Saratoga, Stoic finished second at this condition to Dixie Waltz. Stoic will break from the rail.

Dutrow claimed Pacific Island for $75,000 from trainer D. Wayne Lukas at Saratoga on Aug. 17 and then won a maiden race with her at Monmouth Park.

Violette will send out Silverwilldo with Richard Migliore up, and Miss Misfit, with Shaun Bridgmohan named. Silverwilldo, a daughter of Scatmandu, won a high-priced maiden-claiming race at Saratoga on Aug. 29, while Miss Misfit comes off a last-place finish in an entry-level turf race at Belmont on Sept. 12. Miss Misfit adds blinkers.

My Place Tonight, High Peaks, and Sweet Vision complete the field.