Queen’s Parade should handle three turns in turf marathon
A small but evenly matched field of fillies will meet under second-level conditions in the Thursday feature at Aqueduct, a 1 3/8-mile turf marathon.
Four of the entrants seem ready or past due to win at this level. The other two are stepping up off first-level victories.
Queen’s Parade, trained by Shug McGaughey; Pine Needles, conditioned by Christophe Clement; and Bishop’s Pond, who races for Chad Brown, finished second, third, and fifth in a similar race Oct. 16 at Belmont Park. They all had a chance in the stretch but were unable to catch the front-running Crisolles, who set a relaxed pace of 1:15.10 and covered her final five furlongs in a glib 59.13 seconds to complete 1 3/8 miles in 2:14.23.
Bishop’s Pond might have had the most difficult trip of the trio. After breaking a half-step slowly, she never left the rail and was faced with the unenviable task of working her way up the inside in the stretch. She was beaten 1 1/2 lengths.
Pine Needles tracked stablemate Crisolles three wide on both turns and had a clear run but could gain little ground while beaten 1 1/4 lengths.
Queen’s Parade saved ground in fourth early and angled outside the winner while racing just to the inside of Pine Needles but came up a half-length short.
Not much separates the three, but Thursday’s race will be contested around three turns rather than the two of the Belmont inner turf. Queen’s Parade might benefit most from the extra bend as she twice has raced three turns, including a narrow miss in the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park in July.
Kitzys Rocket has won two straight for trainer Barclay Tagg. After racing a mile or shorter in her first three starts, she has finished second at 1 1/8 miles, won at 1 3/8 miles, and won at 1 3/16 miles. She looks like a filly who can run all day.
There will be five betting interests in the race as Bishop’s Pond is coupled with Chocolatier since Michael Dubb is a part-owner of each.
Key contenders
Kitzys Rocket (Last 3 Beyers: 87-79-74)
* After racing six times from March to September, she comes into this race off a two-month freshening and five works. Expect a top effort.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Kitzys Rocket. Trainer Barclay Tagg is 35-2-2-8 with a $0.37 ROI over the past five years in turf routes on the NYRA circuit with last-out winners (although one of the two winners was this horse). Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Bishop’s Pond (Last 3 Beyers: 85-85-87)
* Could improve with an outside run Thursday.
Pine Needles (Last 3 Beyers: 86-85-85)
* Had made five straight stakes starts prior to her third-place optional-claiming finish. I keep expecting her to take a step forward, but her eight starts this season might be catching up to her.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Pine Needles. Trainer Christophe Clement is 27-10-4-0 with a $2.69 ROI over the past year in turf routes on the NYRA circuit with Joel Rosario aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Queen’s Parade (Last 3 Beyers: 87-84-86)
* As good as anyone in here but has a 13-2-4-3 record, and I’m starting to question her desire to win.
Chocolatier (Last 3 Beyers: 80-86-79)
* Showed the way two starts back en route to finishing second to graded stakes winner Feathered. Might control the pace in this race.
Serious Happiness (Last 3 Beyers: 73-69-67)
* Won a first-level race at Parx last time out. Faces tougher here.