Today’s Flavor dominates Affirmed Success Stakes
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Today’s Flavor returned to New York-bred competition and returned to the winner’s circle Sunday with a dominant, front-running 3 3/4-length win in the $100,000 Affirmed Success Stakes on closing day at Aqueduct.
Sent to the front out of the gate by Manny Franco, Today’s Flavor was clear through splits of 22.47 seconds for the quarter, 45.53 for the half-mile, and he covered the six furlongs over an extremely sloppy track in 1:09.58. Today’s Flavor, a 5-year-old gelding by Laoban trained by George Weaver for Reddam Racing, returned $3.20 as the 3-5 favorite.
Sheriff Bianco finished second, 1 1/2 lengths in front of Amundson. Scocciatore was fourth, followed by My Boy Tate and Lobsta. Listentoyourheart was scratched.
With lightning in the area, the decision was made to cancel Aqueduct’s ninth race, making it an all-win for multi-race wagering purposes.
Today’s Flavor’s win was his fifth from his last six starts. His lone loss in that span - which began last November - came in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap here on April 8, when he finished fourth, beaten only 1 3/4 lengths.
Weaver felt Today’s Flavor went too fast while trying to negotiate seven furlongs on April 8. On Sunday, he went quick early, but was cutting back to six furlongs and easily handled this competition.
“He’s a fast horse out of the gate, he made my job easier,” Franco said in a post-race interview with NYRA analyst Maggie Wolfendale. “I was just out there trying to slow him down just a little bit, not much. He’s got natural speed, so I just let him do his thing.”
It was very fitting that Franco rode the winner on the closing-day card of the 19-day spring meet, one which he dominated with 37 wins, 21 more than runner-up Jose Ortiz. Kendrick Carmouche (14), Trevor McCarthy (12) and Dylan Davis (11) completed the top five.
“I’m very grateful for the help of every owner and every trainer,” Franco told NYRA publicity. “I’m just happy to keep with the momentum. It means a lot and I try to take advantage of every opportunity I have. It’s been paying off.”
*** Linda Rice won her third consecutive Aqueduct meet trainer’s title, winning 17 races from 66 starters at the 19-day spring session. Rice was also the leading trainer at the Aqueduct winter meet and the 2022 fall meet.
For the spring, Rice finished eight winners ahead of Rob Atras, who was followed by Chad Brown (8), Robert Falcone Jr. (7) and Ray Handal (6) and Christophe Clement (6).
*** Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables was the leading owner of the meet with four wins. Peter Brant, Beast Mode Racing, Ten Strike Racing, Madaket Stables, and Roger Cimbora all had three wins at the meet.
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