Takeover Target should get preferred softer turf in Danger's Hour
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Takeover Target won stakes at Saratoga and Belmont Park last season in his 3-year-old year. Sunday, he’ll look to add a stakes win at Aqueduct to his résumé when he runs in the $100,000 Danger’s Hour, the first turf stakes of 2016 on this circuit.
The Danger’s Hour, run at a mile, drew seven runners for the turf, including New York-bred turf champion Lubash. Send It In was entered to run only if the race is transferred to the main track.
Takeover Target, trained by Chad Brown, won the Grade 2 Hall of Fame at Saratoga and the Grade 3 Hill Prince at Belmont as a 3-year-old. In two starts this year, he was defeated two lengths in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale and 2 1/4 lengths in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.
In the Gulfstream Park Turf, he stalked the pacesetting Shining Copper from second until midstretch before fading in the stretch.
“He was caught up close in a paceless race; not sure he wants to run that way,” Brown said. “The turf was very firm and that certainly didn’t help, either.”
Takeover Target won his career debut over yielding turf and the Hill Prince over soft ground. Rain was in the forecast Saturday in New York.
“The likelihood of give in the ground at Aqueduct was attractive,” Brown said.
Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Takeover Target from the outside post.
There is not a lot of pace in this field, which could make Macagone dangerous in his 5-year-old debut. Last Nov. 21, Macagone won a first-level allowance over a yielding Aqueduct turf course going a mile. In his last start at 4, he finished third behind Reporting Star, who won the Grade 3 Appleton last weekend at Gulfstream.
Lubash, a multiple New York-bred turf champion, makes his 9-year-old debut in the Danger’s Hour. Last year, he finished third as the 4-5 favorite in this race in his 8-year-old debut. He won an allowance race at Aqueduct in his first start of 2014, and in each of the previous two years he finished second in his seasonal debut.
Legendary is seeking his first victory since he took the Grade 3 Knickerbocker over yielding Aqueduct turf in October 2014.