Soldier Rising looks to break through in Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. - There are four Grade 1 marathon turf stakes for males on the New York Racing Association circuit and, this year, Solider Rising has finished second in the first three.
He’ll try to go one better in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Stakes scheduled for 1 1/2 miles at Aqueduct.
Soldier Rising finished second to Red Knight in the Man o’ War, and second to Up to the Mark in the Manhattan at Belmont Park. Last month, he was second best to Bolshoi Ballet in the Sword Dancer.
Trainer Christophe Clement has expressed concern about Aqueduct being too speed favoring but said “because of the [wet] weather you don’t expect it to be too speed favoring at the moment.”
Soldier Rising, to be ridden by Jose Ortiz drew post 2, one slot outside of Grand Sonata. The remainder of the field from post 3 out is Stone Age, Adhamo, Rebel’s Romance, War Like Goddess, So High, Pioneering Spirit, and Astronaut.
War Like Goddess, the mare who won this race last year, will have a new rider in the Hirsch as Junior Alvarado takes over from Joel Rosario. War Like Goddess is coming off a second-place finish in the Glens Falls, a race in which Rosario asked War Like Goddess away from the gate and the mare became a bit rank in the early stages of the race.
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