Sinatra seeks first New York win in Wednesday turf feature

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sinatra is winless in two career starts in New York, but he looks well spotted Wednesday to make it to the Aqueduct winner’s circle when he runs in a $69,000 second-level optional-claiming race scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Sinatra, away from the races for almost two years after getting hurt in the Calder Derby in 2012, has a win and a second in two starts for his new trainer, Jimmy Jerkens. In a Jan. 26 first-level optional-claiming race at Gulfstream, Sinatra lost a front shoe in the paddock but still ran a good race, beaten a neck in a 7 1/2-furlong race. He came back four weeks later to clear the first-level allowance condition by a neck going 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as Wednesday’s race.

In both of his 2014 starts, Sinatra was close to the pace. The only other horse with any type of early speed in Wednesday’s field is Lots of Love Mom, who breaks from the rail and is in for the optional claiming price of $50,000.

“He gets a little bit headstrong right out of the gate, but once he hits the first turn, he settles in,” Jerkens said. “He’s on the small side, but he’s a nice-looking little horse.”

As a 2-year-old, Sinatra was good enough to run second to Summer Front, who has turned into a multiple graded stakes winner.
Peter Blum, who bred and owns Sinatra, said he thought it was worth giving the horse – he’s by Harlan’s Holiday out of My Way – time before trying to bring him back. During the time off to deal with injuries, Blum had Sinatra gelded.

“He’s a good horse, and I thought that extra time would pay dividends,” Blum said. “There wasn’t anything that made me believe he couldn’t come back. Time is what helped him.”

Vinny Goodtimes has won once on turf at Saratoga and twice at Belmont, but he is winless in two starts over Aqueduct’s grass course.
“In one, he was rank early and pulled to the lead, and in the other, he was very wide,” trainer Pat Quick said. “I’m not so sure he’s crazy about that turf course, but the first race at Belmont isn’t until the middle of May. If nothing else, he’ll get a nice breeze out of it.”

Last spring, North Slope shipped up from Gulfstream and finished third in a first-level optional-claiming race at Aqueduct before clearing that condition at Belmont. He again returns to Aqueduct after two mediocre efforts at Gulfstream.

Trainer Bruce Brown sends out the uncoupled entry of Tiz Gianni and Gourmet Dinner. Tiz Gianni, offered for $50,000, went 0 for 2 at Gulfstream in his last two starts. Gourmet Dinner makes his first start on grass since getting beaten a half-length when third in the With Anticipation Stakes at Delaware Park last Sept. 26.

There was rain forecast for Tuesday afternoon. Four horses – Bobby V., Confrontation, Metaurus, and Private Tale – were entered in the event the race is moved to the main track, where it would be run at one mile.