Rodriguez has good chance to open up lead in trainer standings

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With 10 wins from 42 starters over the last 14 racing programs, Rudy Rodriguez has built up a sizeable advantage in the trainer standings heading into the final five weeks (16 cards) of the Aqueduct winter meet.

Rodriguez, who held a 24-15 advantage over Rob Atras entering this week, has several opportunities to add to his totals on Friday’s nine-race program at the Big A.

After sending out Any Minute in a winnable spot in Friday’s opener, a maiden $20,000 claimer, Rodriguez has top contenders in two of the better races on the card.

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In race 3, a first-level allowance for fillies and mares, Rodriguez has the coupled entry of Ruvies in Time and Timed Out entered in the one-mile race. Jorge Vargas Jr. is named on both, so only one may run. Rodriguez said that Timed Out is the likely runner.

It was a year ago when Timed Out won a starter allowance but emerged from the race with an ankle chip that needed to be removed. She returned Jan. 20 in a first-level allowance and rallied four wide in the stretch, but was outfinished by a rail-skimming Primacy, who beat Timed Out by a length. Primacy came back to win her second-level allowance condition last Friday with a career-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure.

Rodriguez said Timed Out has a run of about a sixteenth of a mile and that the jockey “has to use it properly.”

“She puts you in the driver’s seat like you’re going to be there, but then she flattens out,” Rodriguez said.

Timed Out has run well over wet tracks, and if the forecast is accurate, she is likely to catch another one Friday.

Baba is 2 for 3 over a wet track. She goes out first off the claim for trainer Dylan Clarke, who won two races here last Saturday.

In race 8, a starter/optional $50,000 claimer for 3-year-olds going a mile, Rodriguez sends out the uncoupled entry of Good Skate and Miracle Nicky.

Good Skate comes off a win for maiden $50,000 claiming. That was his first start on Lasix, and he will race with it on Friday. Prior to that, he twice ran second over wet tracks.

“He looks like he improved the last time and it looks like the distance will be good for him,” Rodriguez said.

Good Skate was ridden to victory by Trevor McCarthy, but Jose Lezcano rides him Friday. McCarthy stays on Miracle Nicky, on whom he won a maiden $40,000 claimer here Jan. 16. That was at a mile and also his first start on Lasix.

To this point, Rodriguez believes Miracle Nicky has shown more in the mornings than the afternoon.

“When that horse wake up I think he’s going to be a little better,” Rodriguez said.

Red Revolution, trained by Robert Falcone Jr., earned a 79 Beyer for a 12 1/2-length win in the mud for maiden $20,000 claiming.

Silipo is the only multiple winner in this field, having gone 3 for 6. Most recently, he won a first-level allowance at Parx Racing for trainer Jordan Bullock. He is back with Bruce Brown, who ran him twice without success last summer.