Saratoga Giro invades for Thursday allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There are only 60 horses entered for Thursday’s eight-race card at Aqueduct, and 12 are in the featured first-level allowance race restricted to New York-bred males. The race goes six furlongs over the inner track.

Three horses who have spent the bulk of the year racing at Finger Lakes are among the 12, and two – Fratello Del Nord and H Man – finished second and third in this condition over the main track Nov. 17. Those two will be joined by Saratoga Giro, who enters off two solid victories for trainer/owner Paul Barrow at Finger Lakes.

Saratoga Giro, a son of Girolamo, has won five of 10 starts this year. Though he hasn’t won in four tries on the New York Racing Association circuit, he has finished second twice.

One of those runner-up finishes came over the inner track last March, when he finished second at 34-1 to Championofthenile. Last summer, he finished second to Eden Ridge in a similar spot at Saratoga. He also ran fifth in a turf try at the Spa.

There appears to be ample speed in this race with Benevolence, J.J. Jake, and Peculiar Sensation, drawn in the first three posts, likely to be forwardly placed. Saratoga Giro will break from post 4 under Jeremias Flores.

“He will sit off a little bit,” said Barrow, who hopes to have about a dozen horses based at Belmont for the winter. “Unfortunately, in Saratoga, the two times we ran him, he had the 1 post, so we had to hit the gas.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Saratoga Giro, by Girolamo
Last 3 Beyers: 91-81-74

◗ Appears to be an improving 3-year-old who has already run well on this circuit.

◗ Comes off an allowance win at Finger Lakes, where the horses who ran second and third, Smokem’s Charm and Bigshotinthenews, had combined to win 24 races.

“I think he’s matured some; he’s learned to sit off the pace just a little bit,” Barrow said. “As this horse runs, he gets a little better every time.”

Fratello Del Nord, by Northern Afleet
Last 3 Beyers: 77-72-73

◗ Despite breaking from the rail, he had an outside stalking trip when second behind the rail-rallying Manipulated last out following two wins at Finger Lakes.

◗ Owns a win over the inner track, a front-running victory for maiden $16,000 claiming in March.

Sky Chaparral, by Girolamo
Last 3 Beyers: 84-74-66

◗ Came from off the pace to upset a field of open $25,000 claimers at 19-1 over the main track Nov. 12.

◗ Makes first start off the David Jacobson claim.

H Man, by Musket Man
Last 3 Beyers: 71-84-74

◗ Dead-heated for third last out when finishing 2 1/4 lengths behind Fratello Del Nord.

◗ Lone win over the inner track came for maiden $40,000 claiming going a two-turn mile in March 2015.