Silsbee gets one final run over the local lawn in Hettinger
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – George Weaver won’t be too sentimental about the closing of Aqueduct, but when it comes to his filly Silsbee, the trainer will certainly be sad that there will no longer be racing at this historic venue.
Silsbee brings a 3-for-3 record over Aqueduct’s turf course into Sunday’s $150,000 John Hettinger Stakes, a six-furlong race for New York-bred fillies and mares that will be forever known as the final feature run at Aqueduct. Following Sunday’s card, Aqueduct’s 133-year run comes to an end with racing downstate to be exclusively held at a totally renovated Belmont Park beginning Sept. 18.
“I hope she’s 4 for 4 after Sunday,” Weaver said. “We’ve won a lot of races at Aqueduct but as we’ve seen for many, many years the number of racetracks has shrunk. Other than trying to save your turf courses, it does make sense to have just one track in the area.”
Silsbee is one of many contenders in a competitive field of nine. Silsbee, a daughter of Vekoma – who won the Grade 3 Nashua on dirt for Weaver in his lone start at Aqueduct – won two straight allowance races here last fall to end her 3-year-old campaign. Three weeks ago, at Saratoga, Silsbee kicked off her 4-year-old campaign by finishing second in an open allowance. She dueled with the favorite Di Natale through fast fractions, winning that battle but losing the war to Pillar of Beauty.
In her previous wins, she came from off the pace, a style that jockey Manny Franco may want to employ Sunday.
“Typically, in the past, she always broke just a step slow, she wasn’t that quick out of the gate,” Weaver said. “Last time, we drew an outside post, she showed better speed and Manny felt like he didn’t want to let [Di Natale] get an easy lead and we set it up for the other filly.”
Weaver said his biggest concern about the Hettinger is running Silsbee back in 23 days off such a hard race.
“It’s a New York-bred stake. There are limited opportunities for turf sprinters in that scenario,” he said.
Sweet Brown Sugar, a stakes winner on dirt, made a superb turf debut, falling a neck short in an allowance race here on May 17. Trainer Rob Atras said it was owner Richard Marcotrigiano’s idea to try the daughter of Collected on the turf and Atras couldn’t have been any more pleased with the effort.
“She ran so well, very encouraged, she seemed to handle it really good,” Atras said. “I think we’re on the list of contenders. She fits well in there.”
Dylan Davis rides from post 8.
Sunday Girl, who will be ridden by Katie Davis, won this race last year when she came off a near four-month layoff following a victory in the Correction Stakes. This year, Sunday Girl finished second in the Correction, but then was sidelined by a minor issue so she again comes into this race off another near four-month layoff.
With the Angels, trained by Linda Rice, defeated Sunday Girl in the Correction and is 7 for 10 lifetime, with all of her races coming on dirt. Rice said Omaha Beach, the sire of With the Angels, has had a lot of success throwing turf runners and believes this is a better spot than an open graded stakes on the dirt.
Highway Harmony is 3 for 3 this year, all wins on the turf, and is making her first start since she was purchased for $50,000 through a digital sale last month. A filly who projects to be part of the early pace, Highway Harmony is now trained by Amelia Green.
“Since I’ve had her she’s trained very forwardly,” said Green, who also sends out the late-running Soloshot.
Blossoming Erudite is 4 for 6 over Aqueduct’s turf course and will be making her first start for Joe Sharp. She was previously trained by Carlos David.
Mz Big Bucks, trained by Michelle Nevin, looms a pace factor, while Spinning Colors cuts back to six furlongs for the first time for trainer Mark Hennig.
◗ Though Sunday is the final day of racing at Aqueduct, the facility will remain open for simulcasting during the Saratoga meet which runs from July 3 to Sept. 7.
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