Aqueduct: Send It In looks to deliver big in Saturday’s Alex M. Robb

By Brian Bohl —-

Send It In looks to deliver big in Saturday’s Alex M. Robb; Quintet of 3-year-olds make stakes debut in Sunday’s Lost in the Fog

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Send It In will look to make his stakes debut a successful endeavor in headlining a field of seven New York-bred 3-year-olds and up in the $100,000 Alex M. Robb on Saturday on the inner dirt track at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the ultra-consistent Send It In has won four of his last five starts and is 6-3-2 in 13 career races. The 4-year-old son of Big Brown finished just a neck behind Doyouknowsomething in an optional claimer last out on December 9, falling just short of winning his fifth consecutive start.

Send It In has posted his first two career triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in his last two starts. The 6-5 morning-line favorite for owner Paul Pompa, Jr. will depart post 4. Manny Franco, who is 4-2-0 in six starts aboard the bay gelding, will have the call again.

Wake Up In Malibu will look for his second stakes win against state-breds this year after capturing the Saginaw by 2 ¼ lengths on July 8 at Belmont Park, which was his last start at the Robb distance.

Wake Up In Malibu, who won his only previous start at the Big A in November 2015, will leave post 2 as the 8-5 program choice. Rajiv Maragh will be in the irons.

Empire Dreams will look to repeat as the Robb winner after taking last year’s edition by a head over Saratoga Snacks, who recently retired. That was the last time the 5-year-old found the winner’s circle, going winless in three starts this year, including a fourth-place finish against state breds in the New York Stallion Series last out on November 25.

The Tom Albertrani trainee, who is 8-1 on the morning line, will exit post 6 with Kendrick Carmouche set to ride.

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez will saddle a pair of entrants, including Good Luck Gus, the third-place finisher in last year’s Robb for his only loss in three starts on the inner track. The 4-year-old, owned by Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables, is 10-1 and will leave from the outside in tandem with jockey Angel Arroyo.

Becker’s Galaxy, also for Rodriguez, will leave from the rail at 15-1. Claimed for $25,000 by Rodriguez on October 27, the 6-year-old gray gelding finished second in the seven-furlong NYSS to Loki’s Vengeance on November 25. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride.

Rounding out the field is Testosterstone, trained by Gary Sciacca, who is 15-1 and will leave post 5 with jockey Antonio Gallardo. Iron Power, the 20-1 program choice, drew post 3 with Dylan Davis on the call.

On Sunday at the Big A, a field of five newly turned 3-year-olds will kick off the new year by making their respective stakes debut in the $100,000 Lost in the Fog at six furlongs on the inner dirt.

Always a Suspect will move up to stakes company after winning back-to-back races, including his maiden-breaking victory on October 28 at Belmont, followed up with a win by a neck against allowance company on November 24 in which he rallied from last.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Always a Suspect has run all of his races at the Fog distance and has only finished off the board once, coming in sixth in his debut on October 7. Carmouche will ride from post 2.

Cape Lookout will make his Aqueduct debut after breaking his maiden in his fifth race last out on December 12 at Parx. The Michael Trombetta trainee has finished in the money in all of his career starts, going 1-3-1. Alex Cintron has the call from the inside post.

Butch Walker won his debut for trainer Joseph Orseno on September 24 at Monmouth Park, posting a two-length score at six furlongs. J.D. Acosta will be in the irons from the outside post.

Caledonian, for trainer John Terranova, came in second in his Aqueduct debut, falling just a neck behind Always a Suspect in a starter allowance on November 24. Jockey Eric Cancel will leave from post 3.

Mabrouk, also from the Terranova barn, will run against his stablemate for a second consecutive start after finishing fifth on November 24. He will make his fourth straight start at six furlongs, leaving with Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 4.