Rhetorical, light on experience but long on talent, makes his 4-year-old debut Sunday in a first-level allowance race for New York-breds scheduled for 1 1/16 miles over Aqueduct’s inner turf course.
A 4-year-old gelding by Not This Time, Rhetorical has run just twice – both starts coming at Saratoga last summer – but has impressed both times.
Despite being one of two first-time starters in a field of 10 last July 26, Rhetorical was sent off the 2-1 favorite. He broke outward from post 10, but quickly recovered to advance into third position. He stalked a modest pace, then kicked clear in the final furlong to win by five lengths.
Rhetorical returned a month later in a statebred allowance where he got away poorly and was tossing his head about while last of 11 for the first quarter-mile of the race. He swung six wide in the stretch before his late run fell three-quarters of a length shy of Clear Conscience.
“I think you can watch the race and say he was probably the best horse,” trainer Will Walden said. “We think a lot of the horse. I think he’s highly talented, excited to get him back going on Sunday.”
Clear Conscience, by the way, just missed in a second-level statebred allowance race on Sunday at Aqueduct, earning a career-high 88 Beyer Speed Figure.
Walden said Rhetorical had some minor issues that prompted him to give the gelding time off after that August race. Walden is expecting a big effort from Rhetorical first time off the bench “as long as he does not get in his own way, which first and second starts he kind of did,” Walden said.
“He may be 4 years old but far as experience goes, he’s a very young horse, he’s just starting to figure it out. As far as talent level goes, I think he’s extremely talented. Sometimes that can overcome a little bit of adversity. Let’s just hope he doesn’t cost himself too much [at the start].”
Walden is removing blinkers from Rhetorical’s equipment.
“We feel like once they have a hang of what their job is they can generate that focus on their own,” he said.
Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Rhetorical from post 11 in an oversubscribed field that is limited to 12 starters.
Trainer Joe Lee has two wins and a second from three starts at this meet. Sunday, he sends out Charles J, who hasn’t been out since he won a maiden race at Aqueduct last Oct. 27, 203 days ago.
Already at this meet, Lee has won a race with Sandy’s Garden following a 340-day layoff, and was beaten a head with Works for Me, coming off a 176-day layoff.
Lee, while acknowledging that Rhetorical is the one to beat, believes his horse is ready to go despite the layoff.
“He’s doing really well, he galloped great this morning,” Lee said Friday.
Leo’s Reward is stretching out off a third-place finish in this same condition sprinting on turf last out for trainer David Donk.
Calling Card finished second in a statebred maiden race on turf here last November before winning a dirt race by 17 1/4 lengths in his subsequent start. He returns to the turf and is reunited with Joel Rosario, who was aboard for that big maiden win.
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