Pletcher runners hold key to pick six
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher has won with eight of his last 20 starters at Aqueduct since Feb. 11, and he has strong contenders in four of the nine races on Thursday’s program, including three in a pick six sequence with a $20,911 carryover.
Three of Pletcher’s runners are morning-line favorites, and a fourth is the morning-line second choice. Irad Ortiz Jr., tied with 61 wins atop the Aqueduct jockey standings with his brother Jose, rides all of Pletcher’s runners Thursday.
Pletcher is live in the day’s co-featured New York-bred allowance races, with Spooked Out in the fifth and Taken by Surprise in the eighth. He also sends out Willie’s Mojo, the 6-5 morning-line choice in the second, and Big Paul, the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the seventh. All but Big Paul are owned by Mike Repole.
The eighth is a $57,000 optional claimer for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies going a mile and 70 yards. Taken by Surprise just won at this condition Feb. 4 and on Thursday is in for the $75,000 claiming price. On Feb. 4, she got a cozy inside stalking trip behind dueling leaders before being tipped three wide in the stretch and running down stablemate Surprise Cameo.
Taken by Surprise’s main threat Thursday is B Three, who makes her first start since finishing third in the East View Stakes on Dec. 27. B Three is trained by Linda Rice, who won five races here from Friday through Sunday.
B Three and Storm Cell, third to Taken by Surprise on Feb. 4, look to be the pacesetters, potentially setting up Taken by Surprise for a trip similar to the one she had last out.
In the fifth, Spooked Out will attempt to atone for a third-place finish as the favorite in a similar spot Feb. 7. In that race, Spooked Out dueled with Gehrig through a sharp half-mile before being overtaken by Bust Another, who was winning his third straight race. On Thursday, Spooked Out might have to avoid a potential duel with Saratoga Giro, who returns from a layoff since Oct. 17.
Unstoppable, an off-the-pace maiden winner Jan. 30, and Celtic Chaos, who cuts back to a sprint and gets blinkers added, are the two main threats.
In the seventh, the Pletcher-trained Big Paul, a $280,000 yearling purchase by Paul Pompa Jr., heads a field of eight in a $32,000 claimer going a mile. Big Paul, a six-length winner for $35,000 at Gulfstream in December, takes a drop in class after a no-show sixth here Jan. 28. Giggy Smooth, a first-time gelding trained by Chris Englehart, Whiskey Neat, and Nobody Move are the main challengers.
In the second race, Willie’s Mojo is the only member of the seven-horse field dropping in class in a weak maiden claimer for 3-year-olds going a mile and 70 yards. He is also the only member of the field to have finished in the money from a combined 22 starts.