OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With the Angels, who has lost her last two starts after winning her first five, looks to get back to the winner’s circle Thursday in a second-level allowance/optional $75,000 claimer that serves as the feature and final race on Thursday’s eight-race Aqueduct program. With the Angels went 4 for 4 with three stakes wins in New York-bred competition in 2024. She didn’t return to the races until last October, when she won a first-level allowance by 2 1/2 lengths. In her last two starts, a second-level allowance on Nov. 28 and the Garland of Roses on Dec. 7, With the Angels was in chase mode and finished second both times as the favorite. “I like her sitting off a fast pace ideally, but sometimes you don’t get that,” trainer Linda Rice said. “I think she’s better with a target.” Rice also believes With the Angels is better at six or 6 1/2 furlongs which is one reason why she chose this 6 1/2-furlong race over Saturday’s seven-furlong Interborough Stakes. Rice said she would like to use this race as a stepping-stone to the $135,000 Correction Stakes at six furlongs on March 1. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. The speed that Rice is hoping for could come from Khali Magic, winner of the Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Series on Nov. 22 and/or Twirling Beauty, who finished fourth in the same second-level allowance in which With the Angels finished second in November. My Magic Wand, a New York-bred daughter of Gun Runner, has won four of her first six starts, including an open-company first-level allowance win at Aqueduct in June. Trainer Gregg Sacco said My Magic Wand was body sore during the summer and spent three months under the tutelage of Bruce Jackson at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland. She shows seven workouts for her return to the races. Will Sacco, Gregg’s son, is overseeing the New York string. Gregg Sacco said his son told him My Magic Wand “hasn’t missed a work. Her works have been steady and strong, she’s galloped out really well. Will said he’s happy with her fitness level.” Reliable Lady and First Class finished second and third, respectively, behind Mega Mil in race on Dec. 26 where the top four finishers were separated by three-quarters of a length. First Class was claimed by Rick Dutrow off Rice for $75,000 that day. She figures to be coming from off the pace under Eric Cancel. Lucille Ball enters Interborough Lucille Ball, the 4-year-old filly who came off a 14-month layoff to win a first-level allowance race by 10 1/4 lengths, earning a 103 Beyer Speed Figure in just her second lifetime start, will make her stakes debut in Saturday’s $135,000 Interborough Stakes. Following Lucille Ball’s romping victory on Jan. 2, her connections had indicated that she would likely be pointed to the Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park on Feb. 14. But trainer Chris Englehart indicated to the owners Lucille Ball was doing so well there was no reason to wait the extra few weeks. “The goal is to try and win a stakes,” said Adam Wachtel, part-owner of the filly. Wachtel said running back in three weeks off a big race does make him a bit nervous, “but I know how talented she is. I’m hoping she shows that in the Interborough. We’re planning to run.” With Manny Franco riding at Gulfstream on Saturday, Kendrick Carmouche is named to ride Lucille Ball. The Interborough, at seven furlongs, drew a field of eight, but three of those mares had previously been entered in the Ladies Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile race which was postponed to Jan. 30 when the last five races of last Saturday’s card – including the Ladies – were canceled due to weather. Scalable, who won last year’s Interborough, was one of those entered in the Ladies, where Weigh the Risks was the horse to beat. Weigh the Risks beat Scalable by 9 3/4 lengths in the Go for Wand. Curlin’s Girl and Just Katherine were the other two who were entered in the Ladies but now show up in the Interborough. Entries for the rescheduled Ladies are due to be taken on Saturday. ◗ Jockey Kendrick Carmouche will miss the first two days of this race week as he serves out a three-day careless riding suspension for his ride aboard Donegal Surges on Dec. 27. Carmouche, who served the first day of that suspension on Sunday, allowed Donegal Surges to drift out several paths interfering with stablemate Be You. Donegal Surges was disqualified from first and placed second. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.