Rice stretches win streak to seven, needs one more to tie record
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Linda Rice will bring a seven-race winning streak at Aqueduct into Saturday’s card after going 3 for 3 on Friday.
Rice won all three races in which she had horses on Friday, starting with Greatest Love ($2.80) in the second and Freddymo Factor ($7.80) in the third. Rice won the featured seven with Mommasgottarun ($9.20) while her other entrant in that race, Movie Moxy, finished third.
The three-win Friday comes five days after Rice won all four races in which she had horses entered Sunday. In Sunday’s second, she had the first and fourth-place finishers.
The record for most consecutive races won by a trainer on the NYRA circuit is believed to be eight. Those who have accomplished that include John Parisella in 1973, Angel Penna Sr. in 1982, Oscar Barrera in April 1983 and Edward Kelly in October 1983.
In 2008, John Kimmel won seven consecutive races at the end of the Saratoga meet. From Dec. 31, 2010 to Jan. 3 2011, Chris Englehart sent out seven consecutive winners at Aqueduct.
“I never count streaks because, believe me, as a trainer you go through streaks where you can’t win a race, too,” Rice said. “You enjoy it while it lasts and keep putting them together.”
On Saturday, Rice has nine horses entered in seven races at Aqueduct. Barring scratches, her quest to equal NYRA’s modern-day record for consecutive wins by a trainer will rest with Patrick the Great in race 2, a $16,000 claiming race for horses who have not won two races. Patrick the Great is listed as the 3-1 second choice on the morning line.
In race 3, Rice has morning-line favorite Hot Fudge and Customerexperience, an uncoupled entry.
Rice is the leading trainer in wins at the Aqueduct winter meet with 32.
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