Scratch changes look of Friday starter allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Targeted Return, a game winner of a maiden $50,000 claiming race on Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs, would have been one of the choices in Friday’s starter-allowance feature at Aqueduct, but trainer Chad Brown said the 3-year-old filly will scratch due to a temperature.

That could leave Timed Out as the favorite in the seven-furlong race, which goes as the seventh of eight races.

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Timed Out, a daughter of Flat Out, made a long, sustained bid and drew off to win a maiden $40,000 claimer by 8 1/4 lengths on Oct. 21 at Monmouth. She was claimed out of that race by trainer Scott Volk for owner James Riccio Sr., who in turn moved her to trainer Rudy Rodriguez.

In the race that Timed Out won, there was spill at the head of the lane in which Tap the Barrel clipped heels and unseated her rider. Timed Out was in front before that happened.

Meanwhile, Tap the Barrel, trained by Wayne Potts, came back to win her next start by 14 lengths at Aqueduct and is back in this field.

Miss Comedian, third in a New York-bred allowance on Dec. 20, is a contender in this spot. The race she comes out of produced Secret Love, winner of last Saturday’s Franklin Square Stakes here.