Aqueduct: Experienced field of six takes aim at Saturday’s Haynesfield

NYRA RELEASE —-

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Stakes winner Extinct Charm will look to add another victory to his ledger as part of a field of six in Saturday’s third running of the $100,000 Haynesfield for New York-bred 4-year-olds and up at one mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Owned by Epona Racing Stable and Dark Horse Racing Stable, Extinct Charm has finished in the money six of his last eight starts, including a third-place effort last out in the Alex M. Robb for state-breds at 1 1/8 miles on January 21 at the Big A. The 5-year-old American Lion gelding is one of two entrants with a stakes win, capturing the 2015 Damon Runyon.

The Bruce Brown trainee has two wins in five career starts at Aqueduct. Jockey Chris DeCarlo will ride Extinct Charm for the first time, drawing the rail.

Chester and Mary Broman’s Can You Diggit, who finished 2 ½ lengths ahead of Extinct Charm for second in the Alex M. Robb, will be making his fourth straight start at the Big A. The 4-year-old Tiznow colt ran second in an optional claimer before ending his 2017 campaign with a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Discovery on November 25.

Following a nearly two-month break, Can You Diggit earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure last out. Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, he has one win and a pair of runner-up efforts in three career starts at the Haynesfield distance.

Angel Arroyo, who rode Can You Diggit in his first three career starts, has the return call from post 4.

Papa Shot will make his 6-year-old debut after a nearly four-month freshening following a fourth-place finish in the Empire Classic Handicap on October 21 at Belmont Park. Trained by Linda Rice, Papa Shot’s last race was the only time he failed to finish in the money in his last 16 starts, going 7-4-4 since September 1, 2016.

Papa Shot will break with Trevor McCarthy from the outside post.

Hit It Once More won back-to-back stakes in 2016 in the New York Derby and Albany and will take the step up in class following three straight allowances races at Parx for trainer Gary Sciacca. Along with jockey Rafael Hernandez, the duo will exit post 5.

Uncle Sigh will be returning to stakes company for the first time in almost four years, when he finished 14th in the 2014 Kentucky Derby. Before that year’s “Run for the Roses,” the son of Indian Charlie finished second in both the Grade 3 Withers and Grade 3 Gotham and ran fifth in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial.

Since the Kentucky Derby, Uncle Sigh has made 20 starts at either allowance or claiming levels, including 13 straight races on turf from 2016 until December 1.

Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, Uncle Sigh, who won an optional claimer with a five-length score on January 28 in his return to the main track, will look to go 3-for-3 at one mile, drawing post 2 with Junior Alvarado in the irons.

Clutch Cargo rounds out the field, making his first career stakes appearance for trainer Phil Serpe. The 4-year-old son of Tapit will be ridden by Martin Garcia.