Spirit Dragon starts for a new barn – again

OZONE PARK. N.Y. – For the second time this meet, there will be a seven-race card when racing resumes Thursday at Aqueduct. Typically, weekday programs in the winter on this circuit consist of eight races.

Even after holding over entries from Friday to Saturday, only 45 horses were entered over the seven races. On Jan. 15, there was also a seven-race card.

Race 6 is a starter allowance for horses who have started for a claiming tag of $50,000. It will be contested at the rarely run distance of 5 1/2 furlongs.

Spirit Dragon, a 4-year-old gelding by Mor Spirit, has been a hot commodity at the claim box, having been taken for $30,000 in each of his last three starts. Antonio Arriaga claimed Spirit Dragon out of a winning effort on Feb. 5, a day when he dictated terms on the front end. He was one of six winners on that eight-race card who went gate to wire. Spirit Dragon was also a front-running winner on Dec. 28.

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Spirit Dragon may have to deal with other speed in this field, as Social Hour and Seeker’s Hope are both front-end types. Social Hour is trained by Ilkay Kantarmaci, who also sends out Shoot the Nickel, a 4-year-old gelding who would be starting for the third consecutive week if he stays in. His off-the-pace running style may suit the flow of this race.

Thirteen G’s, claimed for $50,000 by Linda Rice in November, stumbled badly out of the gate here two weeks ago, causing jockey Kendrick Carmouche to lose his irons. The horse bore out, but afterwards, Carmouche put his foot back in the irons and galloped the horse around the track.

Skytown finished fourth behind Spirit Dragon on Dec. 28 before running fifth in a seven-horse first-level New York-bred allowance on Jan. 23.

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