On a Snowy Evening in the forecast
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – On a Snowy Evening may be more than just a hunch bet in Thursday’s New York-bred allowance feature at Aqueduct.
Light snow was forecast for Wednesday night into Thursday morning, but it is not expected to threaten Thursday’s eight-race card at Aqueduct from being held.
On Thursday, Aqueduct reduces its weekday schedule from nine races to eight, one of four initiatives instituted by New York Racing Association officials after there were 13 equine fatalities in the first 25 full cards (plus one day in which only two races were run) since the inner track opened on Dec. 3. As a result first post on weekdays is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.
A field of 10 fillies and mares is entered in this first-level New York-bred allowance scheduled for one mile. On a Snowy Evening comes out of a second-place finish at this condition on Dec. 31. It was her best effort in three tries going around two turns.
“When I got her she gave me the idea that she wanted to go long, but she needed to build herself up,” said Abigail Adsit, who begin training On a Snowy Evening in May after she had made five starts. “That’s why I sprinted her. I knew that eventually she’d mature into going a route of ground.”
Other contenders include Flirtatious Spring, who won a bottom-level claiming race by 10 1/4 lengths in her inner-track debut; Rose Quartz, who won a maiden-claiming event by 20 3/4 lengths last out; and Clean Eleven, beaten less than a length when third in a four-horse field here on Dec. 30.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Flirtatious Spring: Trainer Linda Rice is 74-4-10-11 with a $0.39 ROI over the past five years going from claiming to allowance (35-3-4-3, $0.74 ROI with last-out winners). – Mike Hogan Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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KEY CONTENDERS
On a Snowy Evening (Last 3 Beyers: 66-52-60)
◗ She was second to loose-on-lead Sheriffa last time out after lunging at the break and being parked four wide throughout most of the trip in a Dec. 31 race at this level. Ridden by Jeremy Rose, she finished six lengths clear of Kate Is a Ten, who is also in this race.
“If she broke a little bit better she would have been able to lay a little closer and been able to close that much better,” Adsit said. “Despite the fact she didn’t break perfectly, Jeremy gathered her up, kept her together and rated her going long.”
◗ Rose rides again from post 7.
Rose Quartz (Last 3 Beyers: 50-45-48)
◗ Ran off the screen when dropped into a maiden claimer in her first try over the inner track and first on dry footing.
◗ Loses leading rider Jose Ortiz, but picks up Manuel Franco.
Clean Eleven (Last 3 Beyers: 60-59-60)
◗ She was beaten at 3-5 over a muddy track on Dec. 3 at this condition first time going a route of ground.
◗ Figures to get overbet again given the presence of Ortiz for Chad Brown.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Clean Eleven: Chad Brown is 27-10-3-2 with a $2.38 ROI over the past two years in dirt routes at Aqueduct with Jose Ortiz aboard. – Mike Hogan Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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