Tuesday, February 21 2012

SWEET SEVENTEEN NARROW CHOICE IN BUSHER

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sweet Seventeen, who missed scoring her first stakes victory by a neck in last month’s Busanda, returns to Aqueduct Racetrack for another attempt Saturday afternoon when she heads a field of seven 3-year-old fillies in the $75,000 Busher.

Trained by H. Graham Motion for Mrs. John Oxley, Sweet Seventeen set the pace as the favorite in the one-mile, 70-yard Busanda on January 7 but was caught in the late stages by Captivating Lass.

BIG WIN FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN HOLLIE HUGHES

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Law Enforcement recorded his first win in 2 ½ years on Monday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack, coming from off the pace to take the 34th running of the $75,000 Hollie Hughes for New York-breds.

Five lengths behind the field as Freudian Dilemma and Bug Juice dueled through an opening quarter-mile in 22.33, Law Enforcement advanced steadily around the turn as Dr Disco took over for a half-mile in 45.72. Fifth as the field entered the stretch, Law Enforcement was angled out by Alan Garcia and closed down the center of the track, edging away to a 1 ¼-length victory.

Saturday, February 18 2012

SEVEN SPRINTERS TO CONTEST HOLLIE HUGHES

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sprinters will get their turn on Monday’s Presidents’ Day card at Aqueduct Racetrack, with a field of seven New York-breds set to contest the six-furlong Hollie Hughes.

Dr Disco will try to regroup after a disappointing last-place finish in his first graded stakes try, the Grade 3 Toboggan at Aqueduct two weeks ago. Leaving from the rail in the February 4 Toboggan, Dr Disco was caught inside all the way around.

Thursday, February 16 2012

DAVIS FINDING STRIDE ON INNER TRACK

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jackie Davis is not new to Aqueduct Racetrack. She won the first race of her career at the Big A on November 5, 2008 aboard 64-1 Blue Hill Bay, and she grew up visiting the track where her father, jockey Robbie Davis, rode 1,297 of his 3,382 winners.

While Davis has ridden at Aqueduct each of the past three winters, she has been especially visible during the 2011-2012 inner track meet, with a record of 9-6-16 from 100 mounts, good for 10th in the jockey standings through Wednesday, February 15. Success comes with experience, and for Davis, experience has come at Suffolk Downs in East Boston, where she has ridden the last two meets. There, Davis’s agent is Max Hall, while Roger Sutton books her mounts locally.

AS INDICATED COULD SERVE AS TESTAMENT TO SAN PABLO’S TOP FORM

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – San Pablo, winner of three consecutive races at Aqueduct Racetrack, will attempt to make it four straight on Saturday when he competes in the one-mile, $75,000 As Indicated overnight stakes for 4-year-olds and up.

A 4-year-old, San Pablo has never finished outside the top three in seven starts and began his current winning streak with a 4 ¼-length victory in a one-mile, second-level optional claiming race on the Aqueduct main track November 20. After the switch to the inner track, the Burning Sand Stable color-bearer won a pair of two-turn overnight stakes against three opponents, posting a three-length success in the Flying Chevron on December 18 and a 4 ¾-length score in the Shots Are Ringing on January 14. Both stakes were contested at one mile, 70 yards.

DOMINGUEZ WIDENS LEAD IN JOCKEY STANDINGS WITH 5-WIN WEDNESDAY

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Two-time reigning Eclipse Award winner Ramon Dominguez continued to widen his lead in the Aqueduct Racetrack inner-track jockey standings by bringing home five winners on Wednesday, including a sweep of the final three races.

Dominguez began the afternoon by piloting Fiscal Stimulus ($7.40) in race 1 and returned to the winner’s circle following race 4 aboard favored What’s the Record ($3.20). The 37-year-old rider then fashioned his own late Pick 3 ($136) beginning with longshot Coosada ($23.60) in race 7, continuing with Midnight Visit ($8.20) in race 8, and wrapping up with Nolita ($4.20) in the ninth and final race.

Sunday, February 12 2012

SWEET VICTORY FOR SINGLET IN DEARLY PRECIOUS

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Singlet was tested for class Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack and came away a winner, taking the 18th running of the $75,000 Dearly Precious by a hard-fought neck over Corderosa.

Leaving from the outside, the Real Quiet filly raced alongside Well Kept as they tracked Corderosa through an opening quarter-mile in 23.47 seconds and a half in 47.15. Drawing on even terms with the leader on the turn, Singlet was able to stick her head in front approaching the eighth pole and had enough left to turn back the resurgent pacesetter at the wire.

NYRA NOTES; Saturday, February 11, 2012

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Hansen, 2011’s Eclipse champion 2-year-old male, will make his next start in the Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham, run at 1 1/16 miles over the inner track at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday, March 3, according to Dr. Harvey Diamond, founder and racing manager of Skychai Racing, part-owner of Hansen along with Dr. Kendall Hansen.

“We felt that the Gotham was a good spot and the timing was excellent,” Diamond said of the Michael Maker-trained colt. “We would love to take a shot at the Big Apple.”

Monday, February 06 2012

NYRA NOTES: Sunday, February 5, 2012

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sporting a brand-new New York Giants cap in honor of their appearance in tonight’s Super Bowl XLVI, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin reported this morning that Alpha returned from his Withers CXXXII victory in good order and would likely take the next step to the Kentucky Derby in New York.

“We’ll look at the Gotham/Wood, talk to [Godolphin racing manager] Simon Crisford and see if we want to run him two more times, or one more time,” said McLaughlin, referring to Aqueduct Racetrack’s Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham on March 3 and the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World New York City Casino Wood Memorial on April 7. “We like having him here in New York.”

Saturday, February 04 2012

CALIBRACHOA MAKES ANOTHER WINNING RUN IN TOBOGGAN

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Calibrachoa stalked longshot pacesetter Diski Dance and drove past that opponent in the stretch to post a repeat victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Part of a coupled entry that went off as the 2-5 favorite, the Repole Stable representative bobbled at the start but recovered to track Diski Dance through fractions of 23.35 and 46.07. Jockey Cornelio Velasquez set down Calibrachoa inside the quarter pole, and the dark bay passed Diski Dance with a furlong remaining before going on to a 2 ¼-length decision. Caixa Eletronica, coupled in the wagering with the winner, was third.

ALPHA GETS AN “A” IN WITHERS WIN

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Alpha took a big step along the road to the Kentucky Derby on Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack, drawing clear to an emphatic 3 ¼-length victory as the 1-5 favorite in the Grade 3, $200,000 Withers for 3-year-olds.

Leaving from the outside in the field of six, the Bernardini colt was floated wide on the first turn but then settled in about two lengths behind pacesetter How Do I Win as he led through an opening quarter-mile in 23.71 and a half in 48.04. Moving up three-wide on the far turn, Alpha took command at the top of the stretch when asked and was never threatened as he cruised under the wire for his second straight stakes win of 2012.

NEW YORK WATCH: THE LUMBER GUY

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The Lumber Guy was more than OK on January 28 at Aqueduct Racetrack as he skipped and jumped clear to a 9 ¼-length debut victory against eight maiden New York-bred 3-year-olds.

Leaving from post position 2, The Lumber Guy wasted no time getting to the front, leading by 1 ½ lengths two furlongs into the race with an opening fraction of 22.79 seconds and widening his advantage to two lengths through a half in 46.12. He was never shown the whip in the lane by jockey Jose Valdivia, Jr. as he pulled clear from Smarty Julips, who chased the winner in second from start to finish.