Wind Caper stretching out

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The long and the short of it is two $60,000 overnight stakes at the Big A on Thursday – the Sky Beauty at a mile and 70 yards, and the Only Queens at six furlongs.

Six older fillies and mares entered the Sky Beauty (race 8), including Wind Caper, Check Point, and Diva’s Gold, who all posted career Beyer Speed Figure tops in November.

Wind Caper comes off back-to-back wins over starter allowance sprinters, and makes her first route try for Mike Hushion.
Check Point ships in for New Jersey-based Alan Goldberg, after rallying from nearly 10 lengths behind to win the Honey Bee Stakes at Monmouth Park in her third start back from a freshening.

Diva’s Gold ran for five different trainers earlier this year before being claimed by Butch Reid in mid-August and freshened for two months. She returned at Parx Racing with a come-again performance on turf, followed by two runner-up finishes on dirt. A potential horse-for-course play, Diva’s Gold has won or placed in all four previous starts on Aqueduct’s inner track, including two wins in the winter of 2009.

Poovey, the probable pacesetter from post 2, returns from a four-month layoff for Bruce Levine

Muhaawara, a game winner over first-level allowance foes on the main track last out, and Nicksappealinglady, fourth in the Honey Bee, complete the field.

The Only Queens (race 3) attracted five juvenile fillies, and the short field is bookended by stablemates Revenue and Le Mi Geaux, who are uncoupled for Rick Dutrow.

Revenue was purchased by Paul Pompa Jr. after a front-running debut win on the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle Downs. She rallied for second in an overnight stakes after breaking slowly in her only subsequent start at Belmont Park.

On opening day at Saratoga, Le Mi Geaux earned a Beyer Figure of 63 for winning a sloppy renewal of the Schuylerville, the lowest figure in the 18 years figures have been available for that race. She has been idle for 74 days since an off-the-board finish in the Miss Grillo over yielding turf.

Completing the field are Play With Me, purchased and turned over to Kiaran McLaughlin after a maiden win at Delaware Park last month; Flying Train, who has won her last two starts under hand rides; and Red’s Round Table, who has won three of four starts.