Rice entrants have complementary running styles

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – In Fouette and Piece of My Heart, trainer Linda Rice appears to have a solid, complementary, and uncoupled entry in Friday’s featured third-level/optional $80,000 claiming race scheduled for seven furlongs over Aqueduct’s main track.

Fouette, a 4-year-old daughter of Nyquist, gets back on dirt after two losses sprinting on turf. In May, in her first start for Rice, Fouette won a second-level optional claimer on dirt in front-running fashion. In her first try in this condition on dirt, she prompted the pace and finished fifth – placed fourth via a disqualification – behind Goodnight Olive and Dr B in a 6 1/2-furlong race Aug. 7 at Saratoga.

Goodnight Olive came back to win the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga and last weekend’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Dr B came back to win a Parx Racing allowance and then finished second in the Pumpkin Pie Stakes at Aqueduct with a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Irad Ortiz Jr. was on Fouette in that May 27 race and is back aboard Friday.

There is rain in the forecast, and Fouette has a win and a second from two starts over an off track. The win came at Horseshoe Indianapolis in May 2021.

“Fouette’s shown a lot of speed, and she’s run well in the mud,” Rice said. “We’ll be going from the rail.”

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With other speed in the field, that could potentially set things up for Rice’s other entrant, Piece of My Heart.

Piece of My Heart is 0 for 15 since she won the Gardenia Stakes at Oaklawn Park in May 2020. She has, however, been keeping solid company, including finishing third behind Goodnight Olive and Dr B in the aforementioned Aug. 7 race. Piece of My Heart was disqualified from third and placed last for opening her stall door just before the race, which was deemed by the stewards as having given her an unfair advantage. In reality, she hit her head on the gate and was at a disadvantage.

Following that race, Piece of My Heart finished second behind the Rice-trained Betsy Blue, who was winning her eighth race in what was then her 17th career start. This year, Piece of My Heart has run behind stakes winner Smash Ticket and Ballerina runner-up Caramel Swirl in allowance races.

“If we could lower the bar a little maybe she could get there,” Rice said. “I’m hoping Aqueduct winter racing will provide better opportunities to get that done.”

Piece of My Heart owns a maiden win in the mud at Fair Grounds in February 2020. Jose Lezcano rides from post 2.

Short Summer Dress is 2 for 2 over a wet track, those wins coming at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Fair Grounds.

Self Isolation dead-heated for the win in a second-level allowance here Oct. 27 in his first start for trainer David Jacobson.

Dealing Justice has a lot of early speed but has not run well on an off track.

Sister Annie, claimed for $32,000 out of an Oct. 19 race at Keeneland, is another with speed. She is the only member of this field in for the $80,000 claiming tag.

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