Synthesis has several factors in his favor in Friday allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Conditions seem ripe for Synthesis to return to the winner’s circle Friday at Aqueduct in the third-level/optional $80,000 claiming feature, scheduled for seven furlongs.

Synthesis gets back on Lasix after finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight on Nov. 26 without the anti-bleeder medication. It was the only start in his 40-race career that the 6-year-old Synthesis did not race on Lasix.

Synthesis, owned and trained by David Jacobson, goes from the six furlongs of the Fall Highweight to seven furlongs on Friday. He won his last two starts at the distance, albeit in lower-level races at Santa Anita earlier this year. His two losses at seven furlongs came in graded stakes as a 3-year-old.

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Synthesis, who hasn’t broken sharply in his two starts in New York, looks to get a lively pace in front of him to close into.

In an allowance sprint on Sept. 30 at Aqueduct, his first start in New York, Synthesis was away fifth of six. He was moved wide into contention by Irad Ortiz Jr. and outfinished Happy Farm to win by a head. While Happy Farm didn’t run well in the Fall Highweight, Stage Left, the fourth-place finisher from that Sept. 30 race, did come back to win a second-level/optional claimer here Nov. 25.

Javier Castellano, who has moved to the top of the Aqueduct fall jockey standings with 20 wins, has the call from post 4.

The speed in this race figures to come from Fire Sword, Amundson, and potentially Market Alert. Amundson is in the best form of those, having won 3 of 4 starts including a second-level/optional $62,500 claimer on Nov. 12. The aforementioned Stage Left finished third in that race. Pirate Rick, fifth in that race, came back to win an allowance by four lengths at Mahoning Valley.

Amundson, trained by Linda Rice, is 0 for 3 at seven furlongs with a second-place finish in an optional claimer in July 2020 at Belmont his best race at the distance.

Market Alert, who won the Saginaw Stakes for New York-breds going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont in July, comes off a fourth-place finish for $62,500 going a mile here Nov. 6. He was claimed by owner Mike Dubb and trainer Rob Atras.

Arthur’s Hope won the Say Florida Sandy Stakes for New York-breds here in 2020, but is 2 for 25 since. Senior Investment shortens from 1 3/16 miles for Scott Lake, who has shipped live runners in for cameo appearances this fall at Aqueduct.

Jalen Journey, third in a Charles Town allowance after being well beaten in two stakes at Aqueduct, completes the field.

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