Wet track would make tough race tougher

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A highly contentious second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claiming race is smack dab in the middle of a pick six sequence with a $46,486 carryover as racing resumes Friday at Aqueduct.

Vegas Weekend and Customerexperience – both in for the $62,500 tag – are two of many contenders in this one-mile race, which drew a field of seven fillies and mares.

Vegas Weekend was claimed for this same price by Linda Rice out of a similar spot on Dec. 19. Vegas Weekend finished fourth that day, but Maiden Beauty and Battle Bling, the one-two finishers, came back to win stakes. The third-place finisher, Hybrid Eclipse – also trained by Rice – is entered in Friday’s race but isn’t sure to run.

Rice said she claimed Vegas Weekend for that high a price because she liked the pedigree – she’s by Mineshaft out of the Smart Strike mare Hope Chest – and had won five races from nine starts to that point as a 3-year-old.

Speaking of Vegas Weekend’s performance on Dec. 19, Rice said, “I thought she ran just a little bit flat that day, but it turned out to be a pretty key race.”

On Nov. 19, when still in the barn of Rob Atras, Vegas Weekend won a second-level allowance/optional $80,000 claimer in the mud at Aqueduct.

:: Want to start playing with a $510 bankroll and have access to free Formulator? Learn more

There was a forecast for rain Thursday night into Friday morning. Rice said a wet track would suit Vegas Weekend, but not Hybrid Eclipse.

“She doesn’t handle the mud very well,” Rice said.

Customerexperience has been claimed five consecutive times, including last out for $32,000 by Michelle Giangiulio, who won an eight-way shake to get the 5-year-old daughter of Cairo Prince. Customerexperience won that Jan. 23 race by 6 3/4 lengths, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 93.

Customerexperience looks like she could be on or near the lead under Kendrick Carmouche.

“I think she looks good in there, there’s not much speed, I like the fact that Kendrick’s on her, he should be aggressive,” said Giangiulio, who is 5 for 10 at the winter meet. “I’m not too worried about running her back too soon. She came out of the race well, had a good easy breeze, so all systems go.”

Frost Point would be considered a top contender if she runs. The 4-year-old daughter of Frosted comes off a 7 3/4-length first-level allowance win at Laurel Park on Jan. 27. She is entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Nellie Morse at Laurel. As of Wednesday, no decision had been made on where she would run, according to Leana Willaford, the New York-based assistant to trainer Bill Mott.

Then there’s Ice Princess. The 5-year-old mare is a five-time beaten favorite dating back to February 2021. She gets back on Lasix and could get a wet track, the type of surface on which she has a 3-4-0 record from seven starts.

Primacy steps up off a first-level allowance win for Chad Brown. Flashndynamite returns from an eight-month layoff for trainer Michael Moore. Flashndynamite’s last win came here in this same condition in January 2021. She is in for the tag on Friday.