Stallion Stakes, plus return of Honor Code top card

Divisions of the $125,000 New York Stallion Series races ostensibly share top billing on Saturday’s Aqueduct card as races 5 and 8 but will be overshadowed by the return of Honor Code in a $69,000 optional claimer that goes as race 6.

Both New York Stallion races – the Staten Island for fillies and mares and the Thunder Rumble for 3-year-olds and up – are at seven furlongs and drew fields of 10.

In the Staten Island, four come out of the Arctic Queen Stakes at Finger Lakes. Three of them are trained by Linda Rice, who sends out Uncle Southern, the potential main speed; Miss Narcissist, a Stallion Series winner last fall at Aqueduct; and Champagne Ruby, who took the Niagara Stakes in her penultimate start.

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Uncle Southern gets a switch back to Luis Saez, aboard for two wins in the slop at Saratoga including the Union Avenue Stakes when they speed-popped the field at 7-1.

“She really dug in,” Rice said. “I really thought we’d just come away from there and get the lead.”

Champagne Ruby has twice finished in the money in Stallion Series races on the main track at Aqueduct and looks to rebound after catching a sealed wet track in the Arctic Queen.

“She seems to like to sit off the pace and be a come-from-behind sprinter,” Rice said.

Also exiting the Arctic Queen is Vicki’s Dancer, who adds blinkers and looks for her first victory since a Stallion Series win here 364 days ago.

Sunny Desert, the 3-1 morning-line favorite, also seeks her initial win this year and should relish the return to the Big A, where she has won 4 of 6 on the main track.

KEY CONTENDERS, Race 5

SUNNY DESERT (Last 3 Beyers: 60-70-85)

◗ Claimed for $35,000 out of a maiden race in December 2011, she won 8 of 9 races for now-retired trainer John Parisella in 2012-13, including six stakes scores.

UNCLE SOUTHERN (Last 3 Beyers: 28-87-83)

◗ She has never lost (3 for 3) when leading after the first quarter-mile.

Thunder Rumble

In the Thunder Rumble division, West Hills Giant breaks from the rail and is the 8-5 favorite to notch his first victory of the season.

Second best in this same Stallion Series race a year ago this weekend, West Hills Giant has held good form through the second half of 2014 and has put up three consecutive Beyer Speed Figures over 90, capped by a rallying third in the Hudson Handicap.

Loki’s Vengeance won a Stallion Series race on closing day of the spring meet and is back in restricted company after forcing the pace in his return from a layoff on opening day. He attempts seven furlongs for the third time, after forcing the pace and finishing off the board in the Bay Shore and Mike Lee in the spring.

“He’s a heavy, thick horse . . . but his pedigree says he should go farther,” trainer Mike Hushion said.

Geaux Mets and Readthebyline boast the biggest Beyers in the field this year.

Geaux Mets earned a 97 winning the Ontario County Stakes by more than a dozen lengths.

Trainer Michelle Nevin reclaimed Readthebyline six weeks ago out of his last start. She originally claimed him in the spring, and Readthebyline freaked with a 109 Beyer in his only start for Nevin, who lost the gelding via the claim box that day.

KEY CONTENDERS, Race 8

WEST HILLS GIANT (Last 3 Beyers: 92-91-92)

◗ He ran the fastest Beyer of his 3-year-old season finishing second on this track.

READTHEBYLINE (Last 3 Beyers: 70-71-86)

◗ The main speed of the race, he was out of his element on turf twice at Belmont’s fall meet.

Honor Code returns

Honor Code, the 2013 Remsen winner who has been sidelined since March by a suspensory injury to a hind leg, returns to the races in race 6, an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs that carries second-level allowance conditions.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, Honor Code breaks from post 8 in a field of 11 that includes five other stakes winners.