Sheriffa looks to get lead over short field

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It’s a pretty simple formula for success for Sheriffa. Make the lead early, she wins. Fail to make the lead early, she loses.

On Thursday, when Sheriffa returns to the races for the first time in 11 weeks, she looms the primary speed in Aqueduct’s $59,000, second-level allowance feature for New York-bred fillies and mares going a mile and 70 yards over the inner track.

Sheriffa, claimed for $16,000 by Linda Rice for Antonino Miuccio last September, faces only four rivals Thursday, none of whom seems capable of running with her early provided she breaks well. Jose Ortiz, the leading rider at the meet with seven days remaining, has the call from the rail.

This five-horse allowance feature, which also includes a $40,000 claiming option, will go as race 7 and is the penultimate leg of a pick six wager that begins the day with a carryover of $23,828. The pick six begins on race 3 (2:18 p.m. Eastern).

KEY CONTENDERS

Sheriffa (Last 3 Beyers: 72-70-69)

◗ She raced four times in a 61-day period, culminating with a front-running victory in an entry-level New York-bred allowance Dec. 31, her first try around two turns.

◗ Rice said that Sheriffa had time off thereafter due to “a little foot issue that took a while to get squared away.”

◗ Rice doesn’t necessarily believe Sheriffa can only be successful on the lead but said, “If there’s no speed in there, then we can obviously go to the front.”

Piccolo Flats (Last 3 Beyers: 70-78-72)

◗ She put together a two-race winning streak in one-turn races at Belmont and Aqueduct before going to the sidelines for two months.

◗ She came off the bench with a fourth-place finish as the 3-2 favorite in this condition going two turns Feb. 1 but had some excuses. Piccolo Flats got bumped entering the first turn, was bumped again entering the second turn, and then had to go five wide in the stretch.

◗ She comes in off a 6 1/2-week layoff and gets a rider switch to Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard for her maiden win at Belmont last October.

◗ Danny Gargan, the trainer of Piccolo Flats, has won with four of his last five starters at Aqueduct, three with horses coming off layoffs of 47, 58, and 69 days. Piccolo Flats is making her first start in 46 days.

Kate Is a Ten (Last 3 Beyers: 80-70-56)

◗ She was beaten 9 1/4 lengths by Sheriffa on Dec. 31.

◗ She came back to clear the first-level allowance hurdle by two lengths Jan. 22 before finishing second on a muddy track in her first try at this level.