Swell looking to end streak of second-place finishes
An April Fools’ Day program at Aqueduct attracted just 53 horses and is highlighted by two preliminary New York-bred allowance races out of the main-track chute. Race 6 is seven furlongs and is for 3-year-olds and up; race 7 is one mile for 4-year-olds and up. They offer $62,000 pots and drew fields of six and seven.
Since there are only eight races Friday, the pick six starts with race 3, and the late pick four begins with race 5.
Swell looms as a clear favorite in race 6 for trainer Michelle Nevin. The 5-year-old gelding was sidelined for nearly seven months after being claimed last spring and has returned to post three consecutive runner-up finishes. He recorded a Beyer Speed Figure of 87 last out, matching a career best earned on Aqueduct’s main track at the 2014 spring meet. Swell will be reunited with Jose Ortiz, who is fresh off his second straight inner-track riding title.
Lehigh Five comes off a fast-finishing second at six furlongs and might appreciate the additional eighth of a mile.
Bajan Summer, Ganador, Guyana Cat, and Yakov also entered.
Irad Ortiz Jr., who finished second behind his brother on the inner dirt, is aboard the likely favorite in race 7. Thirst for Glory, a 4-year-old homebred by Lemon Drop Kid, ran consistently well throughout the winter, capped by two second-place finishes against this kind that were his fastest races to date.
Thirst for Glory is among five runners cutting back slightly in distance from two-turn routes, along with Clifton Pleasure, Overawe, Proletariat, and Prophet’s Cat.
Down Town Kitty and Mystical Song will stretch out past six furlongs for the first time.
The richest event of the day is race 4, a $70,000 maiden special weight at 1 1/8 miles in which three of the six entered – Choir Director, Doctor Mounty, and Lost Iron – are Florida shippers who last raced at Gulfstream Park.
The local contingent consists of Chomsky, in the money in all three starts over the winter; Fielding Gold, a 3-year-old gelding to be ridden by Jackie Davis; and Say Cin Cin, a 4-year-old filly to be ridden by her brother Dylan.
KEY CONTENDERS
Race 6
Swell, by Langfuhr
Last 3 Beyers: 87-85-82
◗ His only prior seven-furlong dirt race was an off-the-board finish in the 2014 Mike Lee Stakes.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Swell. Trainer Michelle Nevin is 48-19-8-7 with a $2.57 ROI over the past five years in sprints on the Aqueduct inner dirt with Jose Ortiz aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Lehigh Five, by Birdstone
Last 3 Beyers: 80-58-51
◗ Rallied from a dozen lengths behind when a close second at 32-1 last out.