Wavell Avenue seeks fourth straight win

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The improving Wavell Avenue looms a heavy favorite as she seeks her fourth consecutive victory in a $69,000, second-level allowance race for older fillies and mares that highlights Aqueduct’s scheduled eight-race Thursday program.

This one-mile race, which also carries a $62,500 claiming option, was originally carded for Jan. 28, but that card was canceled due to winter weather. Snow showers and winds between 20 and 30 mph are forecast for Thursday.

Originally drawn with six runners, the race picked up an additional horse in Lotsa Noodles, who unseated her rider at the break of a similar race Dec. 28. Lotsa Noodles is the only member of the field entered for the optional-claiming tag.

KEY CONTENDERS

Wavell Avenue (Last 3 Beyers: 91-89-87)

◗ Well beaten in her first two starts, Wavell Avenue has won her last three by a combined 14 1/2 lengths, including a six-length score in her two-turn and inner-track debut on New Year’s Day.

“This filly always trained well; we were obviously disappointed in her first two races that she didn’t do well,” trainer Chad Brown said. “She trained far better than she ran. Her last three starts she ran to her training, and she’s finally shown to be the type of filly we thought she was.”

◗ Wavell Avenue, a daughter of Harlington, has the versatility to be successful from on or off the pace. Faith Hall, who breaks from the rail, and Evening Show look like they prefer to be forwardly placed.

Lunar Surge (Last 3 Beyers: 75-77-85)

◗ She doesn’t like to win but has finished in the money in 13 of 15 career starts, including two seconds and two thirds in six tries in this condition.

◗ A late-running sort, she should greatly benefit from a legitimate early pace.

◗ She is reunited with Cornelio Velasquez, the last jockey to win on her.

Evening Show (Last 3 Beyers: 78-81-77)

◗ Though mired in this condition for 17 months, she has seven in-the-money finishes from 10 starts during that time.

◗ She finished third in this same condition Dec. 3, a race that produced Affectionately Stakes winner America and next-out optional-claiming winner Holiday’s Jewel. Finished a neck in front of Lunar Surge, who came back to run well in her next start and is back in this field.

Lotsa Noodles (Last 3 Beyers: NA-79-82)

◗ Before tossing her rider at the start of her last race, Lotsa Noodles had two wins and three seconds in her previous five runs.

◗ Three races back, at Aqueduct, she finished second behind House Rules, who on Jan. 2 won the Bal Harbour Handicap by 9 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream.

◗ She is 5-3-0 from eight starts on wet surfaces.