Stymie offers small field, big challenge
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There may be only five horses entered in Sunday’s $100,000 Stymie Stakes, but it’s not an easy race to handicap.
The Stymie, the last scheduled stakes of Aqueduct’s inner-track meet, marks the 2015 debut of Vyjack, a multiple graded stakes winner who hasn’t run since finishing second in the Queens County in December. He will face the improving North Slope, the winner of the Evening Attire on Feb. 22; Micromanage, the Queens County and Jazil Stakes winner; and Cousin Stephen, who is in the best form of his career.
Also entered is Turco Bravo, who is winless in six starts in this country but finished in the money in both the Jazil and Evening Attire. Turco Bravo also was entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Harrison Johnson Memorial at Laurel but is likely to run here.
The Stymie will go as race 3 on the nine-race program.
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KEY CONTENDERS
North Slope (Last 3 Beyers: 100-85-97)
◗ Proved himself on dirt by galloping to a 2 1/2-length victory in the mud in the Evening Attire last out, recording a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 100.
◗ He must avoid a bounce and likely will have to run on a dry, fast inner track.
“I do think he loved it wet last time,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “He ran huge, and hopefully he’s doing well and runs huge again. I wouldn’t mind if it was wet, but he should be fine on dry.”
Vyjack (Last 3 Beyers: 102-93-103)
◗ After beginning his career with four straight wins – including the Grade 3 Gotham over this track – he has gone just 2 for his last 12.
◗ He hasn’t run since finishing second to Micromanage in the Queens County at 1 1/8 miles over this track and distance Dec. 13.
◗ His connections are using this as a prep for next month’s $1.5 million Charles Town Classic.
“I think he’s maybe 80 to 85 percent fit,” said Gustavo Rodriguez, who is running the stable for his brother Rudy, who is serving a suspension. “We worked him a few times over here, and he got a little tired. The owners want to run in Charles Town. With this race, we’re going to try to have him 100 percent ready for the next race. We’re hoping he runs good, but if he gets a little tired, it’s going to be expected.”
Cousin Stephen (Last 3 Beyers: 100-97-85)
◗ Makes his first start in New York on dirt since he finished last in the Curlin Stakes last July at Saratoga.
◗ He has run back-to-back bang-up races at Parx, winning a pair of allowance races by open lengths.
◗ He looms the primary speed in this spot.
Micromanage (Last 3 Beyers: 88-100-104)
◗ After recording victories in the Queens County and Jazil Stakes over the inner track, he may have regressed when running fourth as the odds-on favorite in the Evening Attire.