Shorter distance may put Suspended Campaign over the top
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There are 56 horses entered in eight races on Friday at Aqueduct, 12 of them in the featured first-level allowance/optional $45,000 claiming heat that concludes the program that begins at 1:20 p.m.
The one-mile event looks to be the most challenging handicapping puzzle on the card with some runners stretching out, some cutting back, and some making their first starts for new trainers.
In January, Rudy Rodriguez went 4 for 55 at this meet. So far, in February, he is 5 for 30. Friday, Rodriguez sends out Suspended Campaign, who rallied from last to cross the finish line third in this same condition going 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 12.
In that race, Suspended Campaign made a sustained 4 1/2-furlong run and got squeezed late by Spiked, who was disqualified from first to third while Suspended Campaign was placed second. Spiked also is back in this field.
“I thought she ran a good race, she got squeezed a little, maybe that affected her because she’s got a little cloud in her eye,” Rodriguez said. “If you don’t move properly, she panics a little bit and puts her head up in the air. I thought she ran a good race and she’s coming into this in very good shape. I really liked her last couple of works.”
Rodriguez said he also likes the cutback to a one-turn mile where there appears to be more speed in the race and she can make one run. Jorge Vargas Jr., who has won with three of his last 10 mounts after a slow start to the meet, rides Suspended Campaign from post 4.
Dame Cinco has a win and two seconds since being claimed by Rob Atras, who put blinkers on right after he claimed the mare for $32,000 on Oct. 28.
“Some of her better races had come with blinkers,” Atras said, noting her two wins last summer came in that equipment. “She hadn’t been breaking real good and the first time we ran her she broke real sharp.”
Dame Cinco won that day by 7 1/4 lengths. In her last two starts she has been caught late, though Atras is still confident in her ability to get a mile.
Dylan Davis rides Dame Cinco from post 2.
The horse to beat is Glowsity, who has won her last two starts for Jamie Ness, including a starter allowance here by 7 1/2 lengths on Jan. 28. She will have to work out a trip from the rail under Andrew Wolfsont, the Parx Racing-based rider who is 4 for 7 at this meet.
Toned Up and Liam’s Kiss were third and fourth in the same race that Dame Cinco finished second on Jan. 28. Baby Man goes first off the claim for Tom Morley, while Vegas Weekend does the same for Gustavo Rodriguez.
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