William Morey dipping toes in New York waters

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer William Morey has maintained a small string of horses in New York this winter, winning with two of his first five starters at the Aqueduct winter meet.

Morey actually began his New York stint at Belmont, running two horses and winning a maiden race with Florida Gator.

Morey, who has a 25-horse string at Turfway Park, was looking for an additional spot to stable horses and New York was chosen at the prompting of a few owners.

“It’s been fun,” Morey said Wednesday from Turfway.

On Dec. 18, Morey won a starter allowance with No Burn, a horse he claimed for $40,000 but who ran poorly in his first start for he and owner Bob Bone. No Burn turned things around with a 2 3/4-length win on Dec. 18, which earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I learned over the years not to panic over one bad race,” Morey said. “My owner is a real good owner, very patient, let’s me do my thing. We trained him a little differently up to his next race and it worked.”

Morey said he is hoping to run No Burn Sunday in an allowance race. Florida Gator, who won a maiden race at Belmont in September, most recently finished third in a first-level allowance. He might run in a starter allowance for 3-year-olds on Sunday.

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Two of Morey’s last three starters, including recent winner Runninsonofagun, were claimed. On Dec. 19, he won an 11-way shake to claim the filly Customerexperience for $25,000.

Morey nominated Customerexperience to the $100,000 Interborough Stakes on Jan. 15. He called that race Plan B in case it comes up light and the spot he prefers to run her in doesn’t fill.

Overall, Morey started 10 horses in New York in 2021 with three wins, a second, and two thirds. He hopes to do well enough to maintain a year-round presence on this circuit.

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“I’m just getting my toes in the water a little bit. I’m going to try and keep it going,” he said. “As far as which horses will be there, it’s hard to say. I have some borderline stakes-level horses. They do have a much-expanded stakes schedule at Turfway so I’ll keep a couple of those at Turfway, but I’ll keep my eyes on the radar at Aqueduct.”

Arguably his top horse in training is Marissa’s Lady, a 3-year-old daughter of Violence who is 3 for 3 with two listed stakes wins, including the Gowell Stakes at Turfway Park on Dec. 26. Morey said Marissa’s Lady is likely to remain at Turfway.

◗ Lobsta, who pulled a 28-1 upset in the Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Series, was one of six horses entered Wednesday for Saturday’s $100,000 Say Florida Sandy Stakes for New York-bred sprinters.

My Boy Tate, second as the favorite in the Thunder Rumble and winner of the 2018 Say Florida Sandy, is also back in this spot. Also entered were Alpha Chi Rho, Battle Station, Chestertown, and Saratoga Pal.