Two Thirty Five a threat first off the claim
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Despite his advanced age, Two Thirty Five has been a hot commodity at the claim box. Over the last two years, Two Thirty Five has been claimed 10 times for a total of $422,000.
On Dec. 15, trainer John Toscano Jr. won a 12-way-shake to claim the now 9-year-old Two Thirty Five for $40,000. Friday, the 12-time winner will make his first start for these connections – and 53rd career start – in a second-level allowance/optional $62,5000 claimer that serves as the feature on an eight-race Aqueduct card.
While Two Thirty Five has been solid at the $40,000 level, this is theoretically a tougher spot. But by running here, Two Thirty Five is able to race beyond one mile while going two turns. The competition is hardly daunting.
“We could have run for $40,000, but we wanted the two turns for him,” said John Toscano III, assistant to his father.
Two Thirty Five won going this distance for $40,000 on Sept. 30 and was claimed out of that spot by Linda Rice. She ran Two Thirty Five twice at the $62,500 level where he was third to Shawdyshawdyshawdy and then second to Unbridled Bomber. Rice dropped Two Thirty Five in for the $40,000 on Dec. 15 and he finished third behind Lastchanceatglory and Famished. Those two reversed that order of finish in a $40,000 claimer going a mile here on Sunday.
The main track was listed as fast but was sealed for that Dec. 15 race and the Toscanos are hoping that Two Thirty Five simply didn’t handle the surface.
“He came out of the race good,” the younger Toscano said. “He’s trained great since. Let’s give him one chance at this level and if it doesn’t work we can always go back in for $40,000.”
Two Thirty Five has won three times over a wet track and it was supposed to rain all day Thursday, likely leaving the track wet on Friday.
“We’re rooting for rain,” Toscano said.
Two Thirty Five, with Eric Cancel named to ride, has a stalking style. Pace in this field figures to come from Little Demon, who is wheeling back just six days after winning a first-level allowance here for David Jacobson, and perhaps No Burn. No Burn was fourth behind Rough Sea in a starter $25,000 here on Dec. 11. Rough Sea came back to win a starter at Parx on Tuesday.
Be Better is the wild card in this field. He won a pair of two turn, mile and 70-yard races at Monmouth Park early in the summer. After finishing last in the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga, he tried turf in the Grade 2 Hill Prince where he beat one horse. Most recently, he finished last in the Discovery on Nov. 27.
Trainer Todd Pletcher is adding blinkers to Be Better’s equipment Friday.
Locally Owned, second to Rough Sea in the Dec. 11 race, and Senior Investment complete the field.
◗ Runninsonofagun, winner of the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap on Oct. 29, could return to the work tab this weekend, according to Toscano. The Gun Runner gelding was given a bit of a break following his second-place finish in the Fall Highweight on Nov. 26. Toscano said an allowance race or the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap on March 4 could be Runninsonofagun’s 4-year-old debut.
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