Prohibition would benefit if race is switched to main track

In lieu of a stakes race Saturday, Aqueduct’s nine-race card will feature three open allowance races on its nine-race program.

The richest race on the card is the first, a $67,000 first-level allowance scheduled for a mile on turf. However, the forecast for Friday night included the possibility of a quarter-inch to as much as a half-inch of rain lasting into early Saturday morning.

Trainer Cal Lynch entered Prohibition in this race in hopes that it would come off the turf and be run on the main track. Lynch said he plans to run either way and is using the race as a prep for the $200,000 Commentator, a one-mile race restricted to New York-breds at Belmont Park on May 31.

“I’m looking to get a race before that,” said Lynch, who added that he also was considering a dirt race for him April 17. “He’s won on the turf up there, but I’d prefer it come off.”

Prohibition won a maiden race on Nov. 24, 2012, over a firm Aqueduct turf course. He ran seventh on a good turf course in his next start.

Since Lynch has taken over his training, Prohibition had two blowout victories over Aqueduct’s inner dirt track against New York-breds during the winter sandwiched around a fourth-place finish. Lynch said he might have run his horse back too quickly in that Feb. 10 race in addition to the fact that his horse had a slow start and a wide trip.

Frankie Pennington is named to ride Prohibition.

Front, trained by Jimmy Jerkens, is 2 for 2 on the Aqueduct turf and makes his first start since winning a New York-bred second-level allowance here Nov. 17. Jerkens said the horse was ready to run in Florida, but he opted to wait for New York. Jerkens said he would not run Front if the race comes off the turf.

If on turf, Idle American would be a major threat, as all three of his career victories have come over Aqueduct’s turf course.

In the fifth race, a $62,000 second-level allowance, trainer Linda Rice sends out the uncoupled entry of Abra and Erik the Red, both coming off wins over the inner track in January. Rice said she’s been waiting to run Erik the Red over the main track because she believes “6 1/2 furlongs will help him.”

Abra, who looks like part of the pace along with Best Man and Green Gratto, is 2 for 3 over the main track.

In the eighth race, a $62,000 first-level allowance on dirt, Truth Is makes his first start since November for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who said the colt had an entrapped epiglottis this winter that needed to be addressed. Trainer David Jacobson sends out a strong entry of Real Estate Rich, a winner here April 5, and Salutos Amigos, a winner here April 4.

Tonalist eyes Peter Pan

Tonalist, second in a Gulfstream allowance race that produced Florida Derby winner Constitution and Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong, is being pointed to the Grade 2, $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes, trainer Christophe Clement said.

Clement decided to keep Tonalist out of the April 5 Wood Memorial because he wasn’t happy with the colt’s last workout before the race. Clement said Tonalist remains at Payson Park in Florida.

“He’s training every day. We’ll breeze him in the coming week and go from there,” Clement said. “Do we train him to the Peter Pan or run him before that? I need to work him before making that decision.”