Rice wrapping up banner inner-track season

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With temperatures still in the mid- to upper 30s early Monday, it certainly didn’t feel much like spring despite the proclamation that the new season officially began at 6:29 a.m.

One could excuse trainer Linda Rice if she wanted to hold on to winter a tad longer. Rice has enjoyed a pretty solid first 78 days of 2017. Her 34 wins rank eighth nationally, while her $1.5 million in purse earnings rank 10th.

She will finish Aqueduct’s inner-track meet, which officially began Dec. 7, as the second-leading trainer, behind Rudy Rodriguez, in wins and purse money won. At Laurel, since Jan. 1, Rice has gone 10 for 23, with two stakes victories, including the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie.

“I’ve been very happy, it’s been a good winter for us,” Rice said Monday. “With us running three days a week [at Aqueduct] ... I’ve found a solution. If I can’t get them in at Aqueduct, I’ll run at Laurel. If we’re going to stay here all winter and fight the conditions, it made sense.”

Last Saturday, Rice won her 10th race of the year at Laurel when Matt King Coal survived a stretch duel and an objection to win the Harrison E. Johnson Stakes by a head over Afleet Willy. Rice chose the Harrison Johnson over a third-level allowance race scheduled for this Saturday at Aqueduct in part because she’s not sure the latter will fill.

Matt King Coal, who earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for the Johnson, is a candidate for either the $1.25 million Charles Town Classic on April 22 or the Grade 3, $200,000 Westchester going a mile at Belmont on May 6.

“Timing-wise, it’s probably better going back to the Westchester, but I don’t know about cutting back to a mile from a mile and an eighth,” said Rice, who also noted the significant difference in purse money. “Matt has got a lot of speed, and I thought a flat mile in the Westchester would be a great spot. But everybody who rides this horse says he just keeps going afterwards.”

Carradine, a New York-bred 3-year-old who won an open-company, first-level allowance race by eight lengths at Aqueduct on March 10, is a candidate for either the $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel on April 22 or the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 8.

“Leaning towards the Tesio, but the Wood’s still a possibility,” Rice said.

On Sunday, High Ridge Road, the Barbara Fritchie winner, worked six furlongs in 1:15.45 over Belmont’s training track. She is on target for the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland on April 8.

On Saturday, Rice will look to end Aqueduct’s inner-track meet in style with Sounds Delicious in the $100,000 Cicada Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Sounds Delicious is 3 for 3, and the Cicada field looks to be coming up light in numbers.