Short rest might not be a problem for Cowan in Bold Ruler

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Cowan was the beneficiary of a perfect trip when he upset a multi-conditioned allowance race here at 36-1 on Oct. 14. That he’ll be a much shorter price and the fact he is making his fourth start in five weeks might suggest he’s a bet-against in Friday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler Stakes at Aqueduct.

However, Cowan won that race coming back in 13 days and, given the race dynamics Friday, he looks likely to get another great setup in the Bold Ruler, one of three stakes on Friday’s nine-race card.

Cowan and his stablemate Pirate Rick are two of nine entered in the Bold Ruler, a six-furlong dirt race that is the feature on a program that includes the rescheduled $150,000 Athenia Stakes and the $135,000 Chelsey Flower Stakes, both on turf.

Cowan is owned by the Built Wright Stable of Lynn and Lola Cash and is trained by Raymond Ginter. Built Wright claimed Cowan for $62,500 in May 2022, but the horse didn’t run for 15 months before winning an allowance at Charles Town in September.

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Lynn Cash explained the horse needed throat surgery and had some bone bruising when he first got him, so he gave Cowan plenty of time. Following his allowance win Sept. 22, Cowan ran nine days later in the Grade 2 Vosburgh at Aqueduct, where he was overmatched by Cody’s Wish and finished last.

Cowan came back in 13 days to win an allowance at Aqueduct, sitting behind a trio of dueling leaders, rallying along the rail under Jose Gomez, and just beating Durante, one of his main rivals in the Bold Ruler.

“It looked like Durante was going to come by us in that last furlong and Cowan stopped him from going past us and Cowan was pulling away,” Cash said. “In his race at Charles Town, it was kind of the same thing; he caught a duel down the lane and he refused to lose.”

Cowan likes to come from off the pace, and his stablemate Pirate Rick, who ran a monster race at Aqueduct in January 2023, has the speed to create an honest pace. He didn’t show that speed in the off-the-turf Belmont Turf Sprint, in which he finished sixth.

“He didn’t break as sharp as we had hoped. I feel like Pirate Rick’s a lot better than he showed that day,” Cash said.

Trainer David Jacobson, who won this race in 2014 with Salutos Amigos and 2016 with Stallwalkin’ Dude, has the uncoupled entry of Durante and Stage Left on Friday.

Durante, whom Jacobson purchased privately in California, won his first three starts for Jacobson before falling a head short to Cowan on Oct. 14.

Stage Left was a front-running winner of the five-furlong Rumson Stakes on Sept. 3 at Monmouth before running third in the five-horse Lite the Fuse Stakes at Laurel 16 days later.

The 4-year-old Durante will be running off Lasix for the first time since he was a 2-year-old, when he won once from five starts without the anti-bleeding medication. Lasix use is not permitted in stakes. Stage Left has won off Lasix, but he’ll likely have to prove he can be effective from off the pace.

“Stage Left sometimes doesn’t break as sharp as you would hope and instead of rushing him – especially in this race – he’ll probably sit,” Jacobson said.

The Alberta-bred Jeff Fa Fa has raced exclusively on Lasix, winning 5 of 13 starts, including his last four, three at Assiniboia in Winnipeg and the last one at Century Mile in Edmonton. He will be making his first start for trainer Rob Atras in this spot.

Provocateur and High Oak, both trained by Bill Mott, and Parx Racing shippers Twisted Ride and Five Dreams complete the field.

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