OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Acoustic Ave has won three of four starts since trainer Linda Rice claimed the 5-year-old gelding for $45,000 seven months ago. The loss was a second-place finish behind Over and Ollie in a second-level allowance at Saratoga on July 4.
After clearing that allowance condition at the end of August, Acoustic Ave now meets Over and Ollie again in a conditioned allowance that serves as Aqueduct’s feature on an eight-race Thursday card.
When Acoustic Ave lost to Over and Ollie, the latter had things his own way on the lead, getting away with a half-mile in 45.29 seconds en route to a solid four-length victory. With the speedy Parx-based Spikezone in this field and getting blinkers added, Over and Ollie doesn’t figure to have things his own way on Thursday.
That figures to benefit Acoustic Ave, who came out of the July 4 race to win his next start by a neck over the Grade 3 stakes winner Whatchatalkinabout. Surveillance, who Rice sent out to a fourth-place finish in that race and who was claimed by Mike Maker, came back to win a stakes at Remington Park.
Rice liked Acoustic Ave’s Aug. 30 win at Saratoga considering “he was between horses, he was getting bounced round.” She added, “That little horse has run well every time. He’s a gutsy horse.”
Dylan Davis rides Acoustic Ave from post 3.
Rice also sends out El Grande O, a stakes performer at 2 and 3 who was declared a non-starter in an Aug. 29 race at Saratoga when he was deemed to be in the hands of the assistant starter when the gates opened.
Over and Ollie has run well on dirt, off tracks, and turf. He was over his head in the Grade 1 Forego on Aug. 23 when he finished last, 14 1/2 lengths behind Book’em Danno, but has won his last two allowance races on dirt.
Trainer Rick Dutrow likes that Over and Ollie drew the outside post in this six-horse field.
“He drew good in this race. He’ll be able to have things go his way,” Dutrow said. “Even if he doesn’t break real sharp, he still has enough speed to where he can see what’s happening.”
Joel Rosario rides Over and Ollie.
Spikezone, trained by Jamie Ness, is 17 for 35. He won an allowance at Colonial Downs in August from off the pace, but when he breaks well, he’s typically a forward factor. Spikezone won his lone previous start at Aqueduct, which came in a similar condition as this in February. Thursday, he is the one runner in this field being offered for the optional claiming price of $100,000.
Runninsonofagun, the two-time winner of the Bold Ruler, makes his first start since he was eased and vanned off out of a similar spot as this in July at Saratoga. Nova Rags, in search of his first win since 2023, completes the field.
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