OZONE PARK, N.Y. – While there is no stakes race on Saturday’s 10-race card at Aqueduct, there are several interesting betting events, topped by a starter allowance where two last-out, big speed-figure winners are likely to take the bulk of the money but are both facing winners for the first time.
Nuanced, a gelding by Complexity trained by Chad Brown, and Porosity, a gelding by Maclean’s Music trained by Linda Rice, are both coming off eye-catching wins at the maiden $50,000 claiming level in their most recent starts. This starter allowance run at a mile is open to horses who started for $50,000 or less and are eligible for their first-level allowance condition.
Nuanced, on debut, finished 11th in a 12-horse field going six furlongs Sept. 13 at Churchill Downs. With the addition of blinkers and stretched out to 1 1/16 miles in a maiden $50,000 claimer on Oct. 23 at Keeneland, Nuanced romped to a 12 1/2-length victory. Horses coming out of that race are 0 for 3.
Porosity debuted in the toughest maiden race run at Aqueduct last winter, a race won by Colloquial (with a 106 Beyer Speed Figure), who came back to win the Lafayette Stakes the next spring at Keeneland. Three other horses, including Porosity, came out of that maiden race to win their next starts, albeit Porosity’s next start came eight months later in a maiden $50,000 claimer at Aqueduct in October.
“He was very green in his first race and he ran against some really fast horses,” Rice said. “He needed a lot of time, we gelded him this summer, and I was pleased with his comeback effort. I think we could have a good winter with that horse.”
Rice also entered Golden Plate in this race. He is 1 for 2 since Rice claimed the horse in May for $20,000 at Churchill Downs.
Porosity breaks from post 3 under Kendrick Carmouche, while Nuanced leaves from post 2 under Manny Franco.
At 10-1 on the morning line, Bermuda Blitz is an intriguing upset candidate. A 3-year-old gelding by Vekoma, Bermuda Blitz was claimed for $50,000 – in a 12-way shake – out of a runner-up finish in a 7 1/2-fulrong race at Churchill Downs. In his first start for new owner Roddy Valente and trainer Anthony Quartarolo, Bermuda Blitz finished second in a starter allowance on Oct. 23 at Keeneland, a race in which he chased the pace and gave way late to Sweetalkingbourbon, a 4-year-old gelding who came back to win his next start on Nov. 20 at Churchill Downs with a career-best 83 Beyer. Mission Improbable, third in that Oct. 23 race, came back to run second in an $80,000 claimer on turf at Churchill with a career-best 78 Beyer.
Bermuda Blitz was moved by Valente to New York and trainer Chad Summers, who has worked the horse twice at Belmont Park.
“When Roddy won a 12-way shake to get him I thought [Bermuda Blitz] ran well. He had all sorts of trouble and [Remi’s Moon] was much the best,” Summers said. “He did all the dirty work last time at Keeneland, just a little bit unlucky at the end of the race.”
Summers, noting the presence of Nuanced and Porosity, said Bermuda Blitz is “running into a bunch of monsters in the world’s toughest starter allowance.”
Golden Symphony is another contender – and likely speed horse – in this 10-horse field. Claimed for $30,000 by Tom Morley on Aug. 14 at Saratoga, Golden Symphony came back to run second to the Grade 1-placed Dreamlike in a starter allowance on Oct. 5.
Ilkay Kantarmaci has the pair of Kavanaugh, who won for maiden $30,000 claiming on Nov. 16, and House United, a horse he claimed for $50,000 on Oct. 24, in this spot.
First post Saturday at Aqueduct is 11:40 a.m.
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