Rice's Bay Shore substitute, Joey Freshwater, has realistic shot
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though trainer Linda Rice chose to run Arctic Arrogance in Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial over the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore, it didn’t leave her without a shot in the seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.
Rice will send out Joey Freshwater in the Bay Shore, and though she obtained the horse via the claim box, he does not look misplaced in this spot.
Claimed for $50,000 by Rice out of a winning effort at Churchill Downs last November, Joey Freshwater has run well in three starts here this winter. He won a starter allowance on New Year’s Day, was third in the Jimmy Winkfield on Feb. 11, and most recently was beaten a neck in a first-level allowance race, for which he earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.
Rice admits that Joey Freshwater has some quirky habits, but he’s improving. He was late changing leads in his allowance race, which he lost to 35-1 shot Surprise Boss.
“He’s getting a little better, but he’s still green-acting the way he runs,” Rice said. “His allowance race was a good one.”
Kendrick Carmouche will ride Joey Freshwater from post 5.
Trainer Jim Chapman won the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes in February with Drew’s Gold. The horse got sick shortly after that race, and it became apparent he was not going to make the Bay Shore. Chapman opted to point Prove Right to this race and running him eight days earlier at Laurel Park where he won an allowance by 9 1/4 lengths was part of the plan, Chapman said.
“Every time he’s done it, he’s run good,” Chapman said of the quick turnaround.
Last August, Prove Right came back in seven days to cross the finish line first in an allowance at Timonium, though he was disqualified to third. In December, he won an allowance at Laurel one week after finishing seventh, beaten 32 lengths, in the Grade 2 Remsen.
Chapman has chosen to keep Maryland-based rider Jeiron Barbosa on Prove Right since the horse has crossed the finish line first all three times he’s been aboard. Prove Right looks to be the controlling speed from the outside draw in this seven-horse field.
“He’s the speed,” Chapman said. “If he breaks, that kid knows what to do with him. He gets along with him really well.”
Gilmore cuts back in distance and gets back on dirt after two unsuccessful route tries on the synthetic surfaces of Golden Gate and Turfway Park. Gilmore’s last race on dirt, when in the barn of Bob Baffert, resulted in a four-length maiden win going a mile at Los Alamitos in December. He will be making his second start for trainer Brendan Walsh. Jose Ortiz rides.
Daydreaming Boy, trained by Louis Linder, finished fourth in the Winkfield – 9 1/4 lengths behind Joey Freshwater – but came back to win an allowance on March 22 at Parx Racing.
Victory Way, a debut winner in the mud for Bill Mott, and Expected Value, unraced since a second-out maiden win here last September for trainer Chad Brown, complete the field.
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