OZONE PARK, N.Y. – No Show Sammy Jo brings a four-race winning streak into Sunday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island Stakes at Aqueduct and it may just be a question of distance whether or not she can continue her roll.
An English-bred daughter of Lope de Vega, No Show Sammy Jo began her streak with a maiden win at Belmont in June 2023. Off for 11 months, No Show Sammy Jo won an allowance at Aqueduct in May followed by another allowance at Colonial in August and a facile victory in the All Along Stakes on Sept. 14 at Laurel. Those wins came from a mile to 1 1/8 miles. The Long Island is run at 1 3/8 miles.
“I wasn’t necessarily looking to run her a mile and three-eighths, but this is one of the last opportunities to run in a graded race and I’d rather do that than a mile,” said trainer Graham Motion, who has won this race four times.
Regarding the distance, Motion said he’s only concerned “because she hasn’t done it. I don’t think it’ll be an issue. The Lope de Vegas handle distance.”
Flavien Prat rides from post 8.
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Motion also sends out Blush, a Group 3 winner in France who finished fourth in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine. Blush found herself nearly 20 lengths off the pace behind Full Count Felicia, who stole the race by opening up an insurmountable early lead and kept on going. Moira, second in that race, came back to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf last weekend at Del Mar.
John Velazquez rides Blush from post 4.
Like Motion, Christophe Clement has won the Long Island four times, the first one back in 1993 with Trampoli. Like Motion, Clement sends out two runners Sunday in La Mehana and Avenue Niel. La Mehana rallied from last under Kendrick Carmouche to win the Grade 3 Waya by a neck at this distance and over this course on Oct. 4.
“She was farther back the other day. She didn’t break as well as expected,” Clement said. “I think Kendrick knows her now; he can do whatever he wants. Obviously, she can be close to the pace or she can be farther back. I think she’s rather versatile.”
Avenue Niel won a 1 1/2-mile allowance on Sept. 1 at Kentucky Downs, before finishing fourth in the Waya. Clement said when he entered Avenue Niel there was rain in the forecast and he thought she would have loved some give in the ground. The rain is not expected to come until after the races.
Trainer Bill Mott sends out the pair of Immensitude and Dancing Dean. In her first time stretched out in distance, Immensitude was beaten a neck by La Mehana in the Waya. She will have to overcome post 11 on Sunday.
Dancing Dean closed from last to win a first-level allowance at this course and distance Oct. 17.
Whatlovelookslike, Lady Firefoot, Be Your Best, Therearenorules, and Broadway Boogie complete the field.
The Long Island, the last graded turf stakes on this circuit in 2024, goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:10 p.m. and includes the $135,000 Forever Together takes at 1 1/16 miles.
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