Secret Rules holds slight edge in third start following layoff

Officially, there is no stakes race Saturday at Aqueduct as there were not enough entries to card the $100,000 Broadway for New York-bred fillies and mares. However, the multi-conditioned allowance race that now serves as the feature certainly has a stakes feel to it, with several of the nine entrants having won or placed in such events.

Secret Rules finished second in last year’s Jimmy Winkfield Stakes before COVID shut down racing, and the need for a break sent him to the sidelines for the spring and summer. Since returning in November, Secret Rules has run into a couple of buzz saws in this same second-level allowance condition that has four of its nine runners being offered for the optional $62,500 claiming price.

On Nov. 27, Secret Rules finished second to Pete’s Play Call, who was taken out of that race for $62,500 by Rudy Rodriguez and won the Gravesend Stakes in his next start. On Jan. 18, Secret Rules finished second again, 1 1/2 lengths behind Chateau in what has turned out to be the fastest of 95 six-furlong races run at this winter meet (1:10.44).

“He tried to take it to him but that horse [Chateau] never backed up,” said Leana Willaford, New York-based assistant to trainer Bill Mott. “I feel like he’s on his game and he should run well.”

In the fall of 2019, Secret Rules posted back-to-back wins in front-running fashion going 6 1/2 furlongs. He could have a difficult time getting the lead on Saturday with Happy Farm and Ragtime Blues in the field.

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Happy Farm, the Grade 3 Fall Highweight winner in 2019, returned from a 10-month layoff in the Gravesend and ran last over a muddy surface. Dropped in for $50,000 by trainer Linda Rice just last Saturday, Happy Farm scored a front-running victory over a fast track.

Happy Farm, who is in for the tag, will break from the rail under Jorge Vargas Jr.

Ragtime Blues, a 4-year-old son of Union Rags, is making his first start on this circuit and first for John Terranova. He began his career in the barn of Bob Baffert, winning twice and running second three times in his first five starts. In the fall of 2020, he made three starts for Rodolphe Brisset. He has not run since finishing third in a two-turn race Oct. 8 at Keeneland.

Terranova takes the blinkers off Ragtime Blues and has the meet’s leading rider Kendrick Carmouche in the irons.

Money Ride has gone 3 for 4 since Mike Miceli has taken over his training. He is stepping up after winning a first-level allowance condition in the mud on Jan. 2.

The New York-bred More Graytful won a first-level allowance here on Jan. 12 for Brad Cox.

Celtic Chaos and T Loves a Fight are both New York stakes winners who are hard-trying, late-running types who could get the type of pace they need to be successful.

Wicked Trick and M Tres Por Ciento have run races good enough to be competitive here.

With nine races scheduled, Saturday’s first post is 1 p.m.