Venue change may help Sand Dancer in Woodhaven

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Tim Hills is hoping a change of venue and a better trip result in a better result for Sand Dancer when he faces four rivals in Saturday’s $100,000 Woodhaven Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Aqueduct.

The Woodhaven, run at 1 1/16 miles, shares top billing on Aqueduct’s 10-race program with the $100,000 Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series for 3-year-old fillies going 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt.

Sand Dancer has just one win from seven starts, that coming by a nose last Oct. 1 in a maiden $75,000 claiming race at Belmont. In four tries at the first-level allowance condition at Gulfstream Park this winter, Sand Dancer had two seconds, a third, and a ninth-place finish.

Hills believes a little trouble midway through his March 14 race compromised Sand Dancer’s chances when beaten a half-length by Channel Cat.

Hills said Nik Juarez “chose to make a middle move down the backside and he ended up checking the horse and had to back out of there, and I think that cost him momentum.”

“He probably was second-best in the race anyway,” Hills said. “He’s a long-striding horse, more suited to the courses we have in New York.”

Saturday, Trevor McCarthy rides Sand Dancer, who breaks from the outside post in the five-horse field.

Archaggelos will forgo a trip to the $100,000 Wando Stakes at Woodbine – where he was cross-entered – to run in the Woodhaven. He owns a maiden win on turf at Laurel and won the Grade 3 Grey Stakes over Woodbine’s synthetic surface last fall. In his lone start this year, Archaggelos finished 11th of 12 in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks over Turfway Park’s synthetic surface.

“He didn’t handle the surface,” trainer Michael Dickinson said. “It’s one of the old-fashioned synthetic surfaces. They are nowhere near as good as the new ones.”

Dickinson is also equipping Archaggelos, a son of Temple City, with blinkers.

“Just make him concentrate,” said Dickinson, who has Dylan Davis to ride.

Fifty wheels back eight days after winning a starter allowance sprinting on dirt in his first start off the Linda Rice claim. This will be Fifty’s turf debut. He is a son of the recently deceased stallion Giant’s Causeway.

Nine Route returns to turf for the first time since his debut last summer when he finished sixth as the 5-2 favorite. He won three straight on dirt before finishing seventh in the Grade 3 Gotham.

Infield Is In completes the field.

Our Super Nova sharp for NYSS

Unlike the Woodhaven, the Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series has some depth to it. While 3-year-old fillies like Pure Silver, My Roxy Gal, and Baby Boss figure to take money, Our Super Nova could offer some value.

A daughter of Boys At Tosconova, Our Super Nova won a statebred first-level allowance at odds of 18-1 and then ran a solid second in the Maddie May Stakes at 9-1. Coming off that race, Our Super Nova fired a bullet a half-mile work in 47.65 seconds on April 9 over the Belmont Park training track.

“She’s sharp, she’s fresh, she’s ready to go,” said Lauren Linn, the owner and trainer of Our Super Nova. “She’s a nice, solid horse.”

Linn felt that perhaps Kendrick Carmouche moved a touch too early when Our Super Nova finished second behind Split Time in the Maddie May.

“We were still really happy with the race,” Linn said.

With Carmouche at Charles Town Saturday, Dylan Davis has picked up the mount on Our Super Nova.

Pure Silver, trained by Todd Pletcher, makes her first start since getting beat a nose by Aunt Babe in a Stallion Series race here on Dec. 16. Pure Silver won the Grade 2 Adirondack last summer at Saratoga by 9 1/2 lengths.

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez may wheel Orchid Party back in the Park Avenue. She just won a New York-bred allowance here on Wednesday. Javier Castellano was aboard Wednesday, but he, too, is at Charles Town. David Cohen picks up the mount.

My Roxy Girl is 3-3-0 from seven starts over Aqueduct’s main track and was beaten a neck by Aunt Babe in the Franklin Square. Jose Lezcano rides for Mitch Friedman.

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart entered the uncoupled entry of Wegetsdamunnys and Baby Boss. Aunt Babe, Cathy Naz, and Giant Boxer complete the field.

◗ The New York Racing Association and Madison Square Garden Networks extended their agreement to show live Thoroughbred racing from Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga through 2021.

For the remainder of 2018, MSG will expand its coverage to 225 hours of live racing over 105 live shows including all 40 days of the Saratoga meet. MSG broadcast 97 shows in 2017.

There will be a two-hour show on Saturday from 4-6 p.m. that will also include the Charles Town Classic.