OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Straight No Chaser appeared on his way to becoming a significant player in the male sprint division last spring when an injury forced his connections to stop on him. Nearly one year later, Straight No Chaser returns to the races in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Runhappy Stakes going six furlongs at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. Straight No Chaser, a 5-year-old son of Speightstown, won the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint by 7 1/2 lengths last May 20, earning a 107 Beyer Speed Figure. Shortly thereafter, as part of diagnostic test taken for a potential partial sale of the horse, an area of concern was found in the horse’s left front fetlock. Dan Blacker trained Straight No Chaser for his first seven starts. Blacker is currently serving a 90-day suspension from the California stewards for failing to get pre-workout veterinary approval over an 18-month period. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Juan Landeros, Blacker’s assistant, is the trainer of record for Straight No Chaser. Landeros is also the exercise rider of the 5-year-old son of Speightstown. “He’s the same or maybe even better,” Landeros said. Straight No Chaser was entered in last weekend’s Lake Hamilton at Oaklawn but scratched when he drew the rail. The presence of the speedy and talented Skelly was another reason to look elsewhere, according to Joe Moran, racing manager for MyRacehorse. Straight No Chaser looks like the horse with the most early speed in the field and expect John Velazquez to use it from the rail. “We don’t like the one-hole, but he’s fast,” Landeros said. “We’re going to be there.” Durante, if he runs, has plenty of early speed, which he used to win the Grade 3 Bold Ruler at Aqueduct last fall. Trainer David Jacobson ran Durante in a turf stakes last Saturday, one he was using as a prep for a May 25 allowance race here before the Runhappy came up a small field. Jacobson also entered Stage Left, who is 1 for 12 at Aqueduct, though he did finish third in the Grade 3 Tom Fool on March 2. Joey Freshwater is coming off a 3 3/4-length victory in a stakes-caliber allowance on April 4 for which he earned a 105 Beyer. He had finished fourth in his race prior to that, a race from which he emerged lame in a hind leg. Last year, as a 3-year-old, Joey Freshwater won the Grade 3 Bay Shore. “When you have a 3-year-old that wins a Grade 3, they could certainly improve as a 4-year-old, at least you’re hoping they do,” trainer Linda Rice said. “He’s raced well at Aqueduct and we’re hoping he continues to trend in that direction.” Joey Freshwater breaks from the outside post under Jose Lezcano. Ninetyprcentmaddie was supplemented to the field. Ninetyprcentmaddie won the off-the-turf Carle Place Stakes here last October and has finished second in his two starts since, including a runner-up finish behind Far Mo Power in the Page McKenney Handicap at Parx on April 22. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Ninetyprcentmaddie from post 4. Twenty Four Mamba won a pair of allowance races at Aqueduct but has faltered in his most recent stakes attempts. The Runhappy goes as race 4 on the 11-race card. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.