OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A year after failing to succeed on the Triple Crown trail, Crazy Mason seems to be developing into a useful come-from-behind sprinter.
With an eye toward the Grade 2 Carter in April, Crazy Mason seeks his second straight win around one turn in a second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claiming race which serves as the Friday feature on an eight-race card.
A son of Coal Front, Crazy Mason began his 3-year-old campaign in 2024 with an allowance win going two turns at Tampa Bay Downs. That led to tries in the Sam F. Davis and Tampa Bay Derby, Grade 3 stakes in which he finished sixth and seventh, respectively. Following a third-place finish in the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth in May, Crazy Mason was given four months off.
After finishing fourth in a November allowance, Crazy Mason rallied from last off 11 to win a Jan. 18 allowance by a half-length.
That race proved productive with runner-up Radio Red coming back to win last Saturday with a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure and third-place finisher Shipsational running a strong second in the Say Florida Sandy.
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Gregg Sacco, trainer of Crazy Mason, said in the allowance win, jockey Christopher Elliott did a good job to let Crazy Mason “ease back, let him get into a rhythm and come rolling. Everything worked out to perfection that day.”
With Elliott serving a suspension handed him from the Parx stewards, Eric Cancel will ride Crazy Mason from post 3 in a six-horse field.
The concern Friday is a potential lack of pace in the race. Toxic Gray, who has run some strong races sprinting at Aqueduct, looms the primary speed under Kendrick Carmouche. Toxic Gray is coming out of a third-place finish in this condition on Jan. 18, a race from which the runner-up Ridgewood Runner came back to win his next start.
Scoot Daddy comes out of a seemingly tougher spot than this where he finished a well-beaten fourth behind stakes winner Top Gunner.
Aussie Girl to Heavenly Prize
When Aussie Girl scratched out of last Saturday’s Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park it seemed as though the plan was to run in the Wintergreen Stakes at Turfway Park on March 1. The 5-year-old Aussie Girl had made 16 starts on turf, and one on synthetic, the latter being the type of surface the Wintergreen would be held on.
There has been a change of plans, as Aussie Girl will now make her dirt debut in Saturday’s $150,000 Heavenly Prize Stakes at Aqueduct. The one-mile Heavenly Prize will be Aussie Girl’s first start since she finished ninth, beaten four lengths in the Grade 1 Matriarch on turf last Dec. 1 at Del Mar.
Trainer Will Walden said the Fritchie wasn’t a good race to try the dirt for the first time because Aussie Girl drew the inside post and he was afraid if she didn’t break well and got dirt in her face, it would not be a good experience. In the Heavenly Prize, Aussie Girl drew the outside in a seven-horse field that could reduce due to expected scratches.
“This is a gamble, really,” Walden said. “There is nothing pedigree-wise or race record-wise that suggests the dirt is a good idea, it’s more of a gut feeling. I’m prepared for it to go wrong, I’m prepared for it to go right. It’s merely we want to try.”
Three of the seven entered in the Heavenly Prize are cross-entered in Sunday’s Broadway, a race for New York-bred females.
Catchphrase will scratch from both races, according to trainer Amelia Green. Dominick Schettino said Wednesday he was undecided in which race Bernietakescharge will run. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez indicated Bon Adieu will run in the Heavenly Prize.
The horses to beat in the Heavenly Prize are Weigh the Risks and Patricia Ann, both of whom have won two allowance races each entering this spot.
Elliott serving suspension
Apprentice jockey Christopher Elliott was sanctioned by the Parx stewards for incidents in back-to-back races from the Feb. 5 card.
Elliott is serving a seven-day suspension this week for a riding incident in race 7, “for allowing his mount Merrychill to bear in, in the vicinity of the three-quarter pole, causing interference and intimidation,” according to a stewards ruling posted by the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission. Merrychill finished second but was disqualified to 11th.
Elliott began his suspension Monday and it runs through Sunday.
That incident came one race after Elliott was fined for allowing his mount Neighbelline to bear out in the stretch causing interference with the horse Emily’s On Fire. The stewards fined Elliott $500 for that incident, one in which they took no action regarding the order of finish. Neighbelline finished third, Emily’s On Fire finished fifth.
Elliott is tied for third in the Parx jockey standings with 11 wins. At Aqueduct, he is sixth in the standings, with 12 wins from 105 mounts.
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