OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The last week of turf racing on this circuit commences Thursday at Aqueduct with three grass races on the eight-race program. Unsurprisingly, all three events drew oversubscribed fields and all three grass races are part of the pick six that begins the day with a $51,725 carryover.
First post Thursday is 12:10 p.m., with the first leg of the pick six beginning in race 3 at 1:10 p.m.
The feature is race 7, a first-level allowance race scheduled for six furlongs on the outer turf course where the rails are out 36 feet, limiting the field to 10 runners. There are four also-eligibles for the turf, plus two main-track-only entrants.
Collaboration is one of six New York-breds in the body of the race attempting to gain an open-company victory. Collaboration is shortening up to six furlongs off a runner-up finish in the Ticonderoga at 1 1/16 miles, where she finished second to Moonage Daydream, who was winning her third consecutive stakes race.
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This will be the shortest distance at which Collaboration, a daughter of English Channel owned by Barry Schwartz, has run.
“I told Barry every time this filly has failed us or disappointed us, I’ve considered that maybe we should turn her back,” trainer Linda Rice said. “She’s got a lot of natural speed, maybe we could learn something. Maybe she’s a great closing sprinter on the turf, you don’t know ’til you try.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. takes the call.
Golden Rocket, Marco T., and Solib finished one-two-three in a New York-bred second-level allowance sprinting on turf here Oct. 10. Tom Morley trains Solib, who set the pace that day and looked home at the eighth pole before ultimately getting beat 2 1/4 lengths.
“I was very surprised she got beat,” Morley said. “At the quarter pole, I thought she was home and hosed. I wondered if she needed the race a little bit. It had been a while since she ran. She hasn’t missed a beat and has had two very nice workouts. I think I have her as good as she’s been.”
Trainer Christophe Clement said he’d rather run Marco T. back in a New York-bred second-level allowance race, but said his 3-year-old filly is doing well enough to take on open company.
Striker Has Dial was fourth in her turf debut going one mile and now shortens up to six furlongs for her second turf try.
One horse who should be considered if she draws in is Reflexivity, who was second in this condition behind Mz Big Bucks on Oct. 19. She would definitely add speed to the equation if able to run.
In other legs of the sequence:
Race 3: Skylander looks well-spotted to win first off the $32,000 claim for Rick Dutrow. Smile Mon and Winnin’onweekends are others to consider.
Race 4: Trainer Chad Brown runs two in this maiden special weight on the turf, with Weighted Average coming off a third in her last start and Steel Lute making her 3-year-old debut after two seconds in maiden races sandwiching a ninth in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo at age 2. Akayla, a previous Brown trainee now with Brittany Russell, and African Waters are ones to consider.
Race 5: This maiden turf affair includes two firsters from Brown – Olatz and Green Jobs – while Good Long Cry has run second four times from five starts, including a runner-up finish to next-out stakes winner Opulent Restraint. Acousticat just missed in a maiden auction turf race for trainer Rob Atras.
Race 6: Mason Mania drops to the $16,000 claiming level at which he was claimed after winning for $20,000 on Oct. 19. Giroovin takes a significant drop in class for Robert Falcone Jr., though distance could be an issue. Mo Rewards won for this price tag in April 2023.
Race 8: Nolo Contesto had a less-than-smooth trip when sixth for $12,500 and now takes a slight drop to the $10,000 level for Atras. Classic Mark and High Heat were second and third behind Hatch on Sept. 29. Hatch came back to win for $12,500 in his next start.
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