Mike Repole did the New York Racing Association a favor by electing to run champion Fierceness in Friday’s Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs. It made Sunday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Westchester Stakes at Aqueduct a more competitive race. The one-mile race, which had been trainer Todd Pletcher’s target for Fierceness before Repole opted for the Alysheba, drew an evenly-matched field of seven, many of whom are in excellent form. Quint’s Brew ran a terrific second in the Grade 2 Carter. Quint’s Brew made a four-wide move into a pretty hot pace and held a clear lead in midstretch, only to get run down by Crazy Mason, who came from a different zip code. Trainer Ned Allard chose the Westchester over next Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 John Nerud Stakes at Aqueduct, to which he also is nominated. Allard said the Westchester could have come up tougher and the potential for wet weather Sunday wouldn’t be an issue for Quint’s Brew, given his 2-for-2 record over off tracks. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. “I think the [outside] post suits us. I think the weather conditions are going to suit us. We’re planning on running,” Allard said. “You could outsmart yourself and look for another race, but it might come up tougher. Sooner or later, you’ve got to find out what you got. We feel like we got a nice horse, how nice that remains to be seen. He’s doing well. I think we’re in a good spot.” Bank Frenzy has won four consecutive races and 5 of 7 for the LSU Stables and trainer Rudy Rodriguez. He is 5 for 5 over wet tracks, four of those wins coming at Aqueduct. Bank Frenzy won the Stymie from off the pace on a fast track and the Haynesfield for New York-breds racing on the pace. Rodriguez said he would like to see Bank Frenzy sitting third or fourth, but he won’t handcuff jockey Manny Franco with too many instructions. “If the pace is slow he can go, if they go too fast he can sit and try to catch up with the field,” Rodriguez said. There should be pace with Bishops Bay and Tumbarumba in the field. It was two years ago when Bishops Bay dueled with Arcangelo in the Peter Pan Stakes, coming up a head short to the horse who would go on to win the Belmont Stakes and Travers. Bishops Bay is coming off a front-running score over Bendoog in the American Pharoah Stakes on March 29 at Oaklawn Park. Bendoog is entered in an allowance race earlier on Sunday’s card. Tumbarumba was a supplemental nominee to the Westchester and showed up here when Fierceness went to the Alysheba. Trainer Brian Lynch took blinkers off Tumbarumba for the Grade 3 Fred Hooper, where he finished third on Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. Lynch didn’t get the desired result, so he is putting the blinkers back on for Sunday. “He finished third, it wasn’t one of his real honest races that he normally runs,” Lynch said. “He had a pretty long campaign, we gave him a bit of a break. Hopefully, this is the start of a long summer campaign for him. He’s a horse that can sit right off the speed.” Worcester finished second to Bank Frenzy in the Stymie and then returned to Maryland where he won the Frank Whiteley Stakes on April 12 at Laurel. Howgreatisnate and Yo Daddy complete the field. Vagrancy Almostgone Rocket, beaten five lengths by Haulin Ice in the Matron Stakes on March 29 at Oaklawn Park, will look to turn the tables on that rival in Sunday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Vagrancy Stakes at Aqueduct. Haulin Ice was cross-entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 Derby City Distaff, but her connections have opted for this spot. Almostgone Rocket, from April 2024 to June, won her first three career starts by a combined 22 lengths, including the Jersey Girl Stakes at Saratoga. Trainer Brad Cox didn’t like the way she was training toward the Grade 1 Test, so he sent her to the sidelines. In the Matron, Almostgone Rocket had to chase a loose-on-the-lead Haulin Ice who freaked in the mud, winning for the sixth time at Oaklawn Park. “She should have gotten something out of her first run,” Cox said. “She breezed really well here last week, so we’ll see.” Flavien Prat rides Almostgone Rocket from post 2. Haulin Ice is likely the main speed in the race, but she will have to prove herself away from Oaklawn Park. Haulin Ice, who will have John Velazquez aboard, is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., as is R Disaster who also can show speed and has the rail. Joseph said R Disaster, more so than Haulin Ice, could sit off a horse. Leslie’s Rose, last year’s Grade 1 Ashland winner, makes her first start since running last in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks last July. Trainer Todd Pletcher noted that Leslie’s Rose did win her debut by 9 1/4 lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs at Aqueduct. St. Benedicts Prep and Socially Selective, second and third in the Grade 3 Distaff, are back in this spot. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.