Turf racing returns on first Wednesday card of season
Two sure signs of spring arrive simultaneously at Aqueduct when the first Wednesday program of the year offers up the first grass race of the season.
In the first Wednesday racing since Dec. 30, the Big A runs nine races to kick off Wood Memorial week, with two preliminary allowance races highlighting the action.
Offering a purse of $72,000 to six 3-year-old fillies, including a Michael Dubb entry of Amour’s Charm and Annie Rocks, race 3 is the richest event on the card.
Welcoming ships up from Payson Park for Christophe Clement and makes her first appearance since finishing fifth at 4-5 in the Grade 3 Tempted Stakes last November. Her main challengers look to be a trio of fillies who won maiden races at Tampa Bay Downs over the winter – Annie Rocks, Not Taken, and Sense of Beauty.
Sense of Beauty makes her second local start for Todd Pletcher after a runner-up finish on the inner track as the odds-on favorite.
Also entered is Kentucky Road, who won two of three starts at the winter meet after being claimed by John Toscano.
However, it is race 8, a $62,000 race for New York-bred fillies and mares, that will generate the most interest among bettors simply because it ushers in the turf-racing season.
The temporary rails will be placed at their outermost 18-foot setting for the first grass race since Dec. 6, when Light Years Away won a restricted claimer at odds of 30-1 for trainer Pat Kelly.
As fate would have it, Light Years Away will have a chance to win the first grass race of 2016, assuming cooperation from Mother Nature. While rain was forecast for early and later in the week, the outlook for Wednesday called for partly cloudy skies and zero chance of precipitation.
Light Years Away must overcome a tough post, as she is drawn widest among a group of 12, including two entered for dirt only.
The other potential horse for the course is Sugar Mags, a David Donk-trained filly who has been idle since a maiden win on the Big A turf in November.
With the cancellation of Sunday’s card, there is a $30,618 carryover in the pick six for Wednesday.
Race 3
KEY CONTENDERS
Welcoming, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 63-77-66
◗ The addition of Lasix suggests an excuse for the beaten favorite in the Tempted, who as a yearling sold for $520,000.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Welcoming. Trainer Christophe Clement is 29-9-7-4 with a $2.32 ROI over the past five years in dirt races following a layoff of between 120 and 200 days. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Sense of Beauty, by Street Sense
Last 2 Beyers: 76-68
◗ Like Welcoming, she is a graduate of the 2014 Keeneland September sale, where she brought $325,000.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Amour’s Charm. Trainer Michelle Nevin is 16-5-3-4 with a $3.30 ROI over the past five years going from claiming to allowance on dirt. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan