Prioritize returns from layoff Friday

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer James Bond and owner William Clifton enjoyed success with Tizway, who in 2011 won the Grade 1 Metropolitan and Grade 1 Whitney handicaps in what would prove to be the final two starts of his career.

Bond and Clifton have a few progeny of Tizway, with potentially the best one being Prioritize, a gelding who makes his 4-year-old debut in Friday’s featured second-level optional-claiming race at a mile on Aqueduct’s inner turf course.

Prioritize has gone 2 for 5 in his career and finished his 3-year-old season with one-length defeats in the Better Talk Now at Saratoga and the Grade 2 Hill Prince at Belmont. Bond had Prioritize entered in the Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct last Nov. 23, but scratched when that race came off the turf. Bond opted to give him a break and point for this year.

“He’s been training awfully well,” Bond said Wednesday by phone from South Florida. “The only concern is distance. I think he needs a little more ground. Beggars can’t be choosers. You’re just happy to be able to run on the grass.”

While Tizway was a dirt horse, one of his top progeny was the filly Coasted, a listed stakes winner on turf and second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“I hope he runs like his daddy, just on a different surface,” Bond said of Prioritize.

This race, which goes as the third on a nine-race program, drew a field of six for the turf. There are two entrants for the main track.

A seeming lack of pace in the race could make Greek Alphabet dangerous. Greek Alphabet won his only turf start in front-running fashion last July 6 at Belmont. His last two dirt starts were poor, he hasn’t been out since Nov. 17, and is in for the $62,500 claiming price.

KEY CONTENDERS

Prioritize, by Tizway

Last 3 Beyers: 87-82-78

◗ Solid late-running sort was good enough to win off workouts in his career debut going this trip on turf at Gulfstream last spring.

◗ Would probably benefit from more pace than there appears to be in here.

◗ DRF FORMULATOR fact: Over last five years, Bond is only 1 for 20 on turf with horses returning from a layoff greater than 180 days. That winner was Tizzelle, another progeny of Tizway, who on June 4, 2017 at Belmont won off a 384-day layoff at odds of 10-1. That horse also won here in 2018 off a 136-day layoff.

Lemonist, by Lemon Drop Kid

Last 3 Beyers: 87-82-83

◗ He has two wins and three seconds from his last five turf starts, and comes off a fast-closing allowance win at Gulfstream in February.

◗ All three wins have come at the mile distance.

Ninety One Assault, by Artie Schiller

Last 3 Beyers: 83-83-87

◗ Louisiana-bred ships back to New York after beating open company at Fair Grounds on Feb. 8.

◗ Was second in his lone start over this turf course three years ago when trained by Bill Mott.

◗ Has a 3-1-4 record from 10 starts for trainer Tom Morley.