Rice looks to keep rolling with Thiene and Projectability
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Fresh off winning the New York-bred trainer of the year award, Linda Rice will seek to get into the winner’s circle with an Irish-bred on Friday when she saddles leading contender Thiene in the fourth race at Aqueduct.
The first-level allowance for fillies and mares will be run at a mile on the inner turf. It goes with a field of seven, with four others listed as main-track-only entrants. The allowance highlights an eight-race card that starts at 1:20 p.m. Eastern.
Rice on Monday night was honored by New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. for leading all trainers in New York-bred earnings in 2025. She has won the award multiple times and will see New York-bred action on Friday’s card in the sixth race with Projectability.
But before then, Thiene is up. She leads her rivals in career wins with four and enters off a runner-up finish at this level and distance in her 5-year-old debut April 18 at Aqueduct.
“We were pleased with the race,” said Rice, who trains Thiene for Jack Liebau Sr. “It was a good effort off of the layoff and I think she got beat by a pretty nice filly as well.”
Sandtrap, the winner, was making her North American debut off a Group 3 placing in France. She is a full sister to Carl Spackler, a multiple Grade 1 winner who has earned $1.9 million.
Thiene on Friday will break from post 3 under Ricardo Santana Jr.
“She’s got a little bit of speed and she likes to lay close,” Rice said. “Last time, she was a little bit keen after the layoff. Hopefully, she’ll relax a little bit better this time and, you know, I think the mile is right up her alley.”
Others set to start include Agia Marina, who in her last outing was fourth in the same race as Thiene.
Starship Athena makes her first start against winners and her first start since June. She is a half-sister to both Grade 1-winning millionaire Power Squeeze and Grade 3 winner Fulleffort.
Three to G was third last out in a Keeneland allowance for 3-year-old fillies won by the unbeaten East Jabip, who was to have run back Wednesday at Horseshoe Indianapolis in the $150,000 Cleopatra Handicap.
Projectability, owned and trained by Rice, will be looking for his third straight win when he starts in the sixth race, a first-level allowance sprint for 3-year-olds and up bred in New York.
The field of eight includes Mozambique, a half-brother to stakes winner Bank On Anna who has been second at this level in each of his last two starts, and Illmatic, who won a maiden race with a Beyer Speed Figure of 91.
Projectability has paired up Beyer Figures of 70 in his last two starts, both at this six-furlong distance at Aqueduct.
“He’s won his last two races, and so it’s a step up in competition, a little tougher for him,” Rice said. “We’ll see how he fares.”
Santana has the mount on Projectability from post 6.
“He’s pretty tactical,” Rice said.
◗ The opener Friday is a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds, and the field includes Tylos, a first-time starter by Gun Runner. He is from the mare Lady Apple, a multiple Grade 3 winner who earned $1 million.
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