Sweet Bye and Bye in position to win Forever Together Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Most of the success Sweet Bye and Bye has enjoyed has come when she’s been on or close to the early lead. It’s a position she was not able to attain in last month’s Grade 3 Athenia at Belmont Park but one she may be able to get in Friday’s $150,000 Forever Together Stakes at Aqueduct.

The Forever Together, for fillies and mares, and the $150,000 Gio Ponti for 3-year-olds are the undercard features on a 10-race program topped by the Grade 3, $200,000 Comely Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. First post Friday is 11:50 a.m.

In all six of Sweet Bye and Bye’s victories she was no worse than a half-length back at any point of call. In the Athenia, she broke on top but was allowed to settle into third under Jose Ortiz while Xenobia made an early move to the front under John Velazquez and opened up a large lead that she parlayed into a 1 1/2-length victory over Sweet Bye and Bye, who was 8 1/2 lengths back at one point.

“I kind of think Jose was thinking [Xenobia] was running off with Johnny, and I think everybody sat and let him go thinking she was going to come back, but she never did,” said Steve Klesaris, who trains Sweet Bye and Bye for owner Joe Imbesi. “Sweet Bye and Bye was definitely gaining in the final furlong.”

Sweet Bye and Bye bumped with Forever Together rival Andina Del Sur in midstretch of the Athenia and beat that one for second by a half-length. Though the ground was labeled as firm, a heavy rain storm hit right before the race.

Ortiz is not in town Friday, so Manny Franco has picked up the mount on Sweet Bye and Bye. She will break from the outside post in the 1 1/16-mile race, which drew 11, including three main track-only entrants.

Andina Del Sur was second around the turn in the Athenia but was outfinished by Sweet Bye and Bye. Andina Del Sur, who won the Violet Stakes at Monmouth on Sept. 28, is the 125-pound highweight on Friday.

“From what I can see she’s training really well coming into this race,” said Tom Albertrani, who trains Andina Del Sur for Don Alberto Stable. “I think she’s a little sharper. Hopefully that makes a little difference.”

Albertani also sends out Too Charming, who looks to be the only other speed in the field. Last December, Too Charming pulled off a 10-1 upset over Andina Del Sur in the Tropical Park Oaks at Gulfstream. Albertrani said Too Charming will be retired after this race.

Others entered for turf in the Forever Together are Shanghai Rain, My Sistersledge, Go Noni Go, Theodora B., and Lounge Act.

Matty’s Magnum, Another Broad, and Team Win are entered for the main track only.

Casse sends three in Gio Ponti

With limited options to keep 3-year-olds against their own age group this late in the year, trainer Mark Casse has entered three in Friday’s $150,000 Gio Ponti Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

The well-bred Osage Moon, a half-brother to four graded stakes winners including 2011 Preakness winner Shackleford, heads Casse’s triumvirate. It took Osage Moon seven tries to get his first victory, but he has now won his last two starts, both at 1 1/16 miles on turf and both in front-running fashion.

“We ran him in the winter, gave him a break, and when he came back he was a little bit of a different horse,” Casse said. “He’s grown up some. His last race was pretty good. He’s supposed to be a good horse.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Osage Moon from post 2.

The Casse-trained Pioneer Man, by Pioneerof the Nile, won his first two starts before finishing fourth in a second-level allowance at Woodbine on Nov. 10, won by Casse stablemate Uncle Bull. Casse felt while Pioneer Man wasn’t going to beat Uncle Bull, he could have been second with a cleaner trip.

Proliferate, a son of Declaration of War, is coming out of an eighth-place finish in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Cup. Casse said Proliferate didn’t appreciate the softer ground at Churchill that day and that he would be a little concerned if the turf is soft here on Friday.

Halladay, a son of War Front who held third after setting the pace in the English Channel Stakes, is the likely favorite for Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez.

Kadar was beaten only a head in his U.S. debut at Saratoga before unsuccessfully chasing the $1 million pots in the Saratoga Derby and Jockey Club Derby at marathon distances. Kadar is trained by Mike Maker, who also sends out Temple.

Forty Under, the 2018 Pilgrim Stakes winner, makes his first start since running last in the Penn Mile in June. Jeremiah Englehart trains Forty Under for Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells.

Backtohisroots and Chilly in Charge complete the field on turf. En Wye Cee and Majid are entered to run only if the race is moved to dirt.