Saturday afternoon, there was more excitement before Aqueduct’s 37th running of the $70,695 Rare Treat than during the actual running of the nine-furlong inner track event.

A loose shoe forced Rap Tale back to the saddling area. Once that problem was corrected, the race was delayed even longer when the bridle came off of longshot Vladimira.

When the race finally went off nine minutes after its scheduled post time, Chevalier Stable’s favored Weathered figured there had been enough excitement and simply ran away to a 7 ¼-length victory in 1:49.84. She will likely face fillies and mares again next month in the Grade 3, $100,000-added Next Move on March 28, also at nine furlongs.

“We thought she would get the distance, and she got it in extremely well,” said winning trainer Karl Grusmark, as Weathered set fractions of 23.83, 49.05, 1:12.67 and 1:37.62 on the fast inner track to end a two-race losing streak. “She’s a very, very nice filly. Michael (Luzzi, jockey) has done a wonderful job working with her in the morning and riding her in the afternoon.”

It was Weathered’s first start at nine furlongs, and the only real trouble was the delay before the start of the race.

“All that stuff before the race got her a little worked up, but when I got back on her, she settled down,” said Luzzi, whose mount returned $2.90 for her eighth win in 14 starts. “She tends to be a little speedy, and Karl (Grusmark) has been working with her in the mornings to get her to slow it down a little. She broke in hand, and it was a case of a nice horse benefitting from a great training job. She was simply the best horse out there today.

“We were the favorite and we just wanted the race to start. But all that stuff before the race, well, I guess that was just a racing rarity.”

Aristo, second throughout, held the place, while Bourbon Maid was third. Point Me to It, Rap Tale and Vladimira trailed.

Successful Sarah, who won Friday’s fifth race, was scratched.