Sweet Kisses faces tall order in Tempted Stakes

Sweet Kisses won a maiden race at Saratoga early enough in the meet that she figured to show up in a stakes race before the season ended. Uncooperative in her training, Sweet Kisses was ultimately diagnosed with a hamstring injury, forcing her to the sidelines.

Seemingly recovered, Sweet Kisses returns to the races in Friday’s $150,000 Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct. Post time for Friday’s 10-race opening-day card at the Big A is noon, and the Tempted, the ninth race on the program, is slated to go postward at 4:24 p.m. in between the first and second Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita.

Sweet Kisses, a daughter of Carpe Diem trained by Jeremiah Englehart, raced on the lead and finished second at Belmont in her debut. Five weeks later at Saratoga, Sweet Kisses came from off the pace to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Subsequently, Sweet Kisses refused to train.

“She didn’t want to turn around on the racetrack,” Englehart said. “When she got going she was fine.”

When the hamstring injury was detected, Sweet Kisses was given ample time to heal. She has returned with a series of steady works at Saratoga, and most recently, at Aqueduct, where Englehart said about 10 of his horses who will be running in upcoming stakes are training. On Oct. 25, Sweet Kisses worked a bullet half-mile in 47.78 seconds over Aqueduct’s main track.

Englehart thinks Sweet Kisses can handle the one-turn mile of the Tempted. The question is can she can handle it off a 15-week layoff?

“It’s definitely going to be a little bit of a stretch coming off a three-quarter race,” Englehart said. “I’d like to see her run her last race where she can settle and make a run.”

Junior Alvarado rides Sweet Kisses from post 4.

Power Move won her debut by a length going six furlongs Oct. 6 at Belmont. The daughter of More Than Ready certainly looked like a horse that will appreciate more distance.

“I hope we can break, sit, and be patient,” trainer Shug McGaughey said. “I think if she breaks good she ought to be sitting in the right spot.”

Jose Lezcano rides Power Move from post 3.

Maedean, a daughter of Tapit, is the only member of this field to have won at a mile on dirt, doing so from well off the pace Oct. 5 at Belmont. Trainer Mark Hennig was torn between running her here or waiting for the Grade 2 Demoiselle at 1 1/8 miles on Dec. 7 at Aqueduct.

“She’s dying to run a mile and an eighth,” Hennig said. “If you watch her train on a daily basis, the further we go the more she’s going to relish it.”

Luis Saez rides Maedean from post 5.

Vast, a daughter of Lea trained by Bill Mott, is 2 for 2 on dirt, including a victory in the Hollywood Wildcat Stakes on Sept. 22 at Monmouth. Joe Bravo rides from the rail.

Ankle Monitor, a winner of two straight on the Mid-Atlantic circuit and Cee’s Overture, who won a one-mile turf maiden race at Woodbine in August, complete the field.