Aqueduct: Saturday Stakes Previews

By Najja Thompson —-

American Anthem faces tough test in $125K Stymie

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Set to make his first start following a fourth-place effort in the Grade 3 Toboggan on January 18 at Aqueduct Racetrack, multiple graded stakes winner American Anthem will face a formidable field of seven in Saturday’s $125,000 Stymie, a one-turn mile for 4-year-olds and upward at the Big A.

One of four stakes races on the day highlighted by the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham for 3-year-olds, the Stymie will also be joined by the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool for 4-year-olds and up, as well as the $250,000 Busher Invitational for 3-year-old fillies. America’s Day at the Races will have live coverage from 5:30-7 p.m. Eastern on FS2 and will also air from 5:40-6:30 p.m. on MSG+.

Purchased for $145,000 by Don Tiger at the Keeneland November Mixed Breeding Stock Sale in November, American Anthem made his first 14 starts under the care of Hall of Fame conditioner Bob Baffert, winning the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera at Santa Anita Park and Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park as a 3-year-old in 2017.

After capturing the Grade 2 San Carlos at Santa Anita as a 4-year-old, he ran third in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien at Del Mar Racetrack last August before being transferred to trainer Rodolphe Brisset.

Joining the barn of conditioner Danny Gargan in November, he made his first start for his new connections in the Toboggan.

“He really had a rough trip in his first start for us in the Toboggan,” said Gargan. “He was jostled around inside of there and this time I’d like to utilize his speed. Hopefully, we’ll be on the lead and can run the half in either :47 [seconds] or :48 which would really make me feel great. He’s coming into the race in good form, so I like our chances. Going forward, I’d eventually like to get him on the grass where I think he’ll do well, but we’ll start here and look to run a good race on Saturday.”

Reunited with Manny Franco, American Anthem will leave from post 4.

Michael and Jeff Fazio’s Joevia will look to improve off a disappointing 11th-place finish in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap on February 17 at Oaklawn Park.

The 4-year-old Shanghai Bobby colt ran third in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes last year to finish his 2019 campaign and kicked off his season with a one-length optional claiming victory on January 17 at Aqueduct. Returning for the Stymie in less than a month from his Oaklawn performance, Sacco said he is drawing a line through that race.

“He shipped well, but he was very keyed up at Oaklawn and never really settled,” said Sacco. “It was a very uncharacteristic race out of him. We went back to the barn and I expected to see a horse that was blowing hard and tired, but he cooled down in 15 minutes and wasn’t drinking any water. He shipped to Darby Dan and when I spoke to the team there, he was bright eyed and happy and he’s been happy since coming back to Belmont.”

Making a rider change from Junior Alvarado to Chris DeCarlo for the Stymie, Sacco cited DeCarlo’s early success with Joevia for the switch.

“Chris knows him well,” said Sacco. “He broke his maiden and finished second on him in the Jimmy Winkfield.”

Joevia will depart from post 3.

After finishing second to highly regarded New York-bred Mr. Buff in the Jazil at 1 1/8 miles on January 25, Backsideofthemoon will also cut back in distance for the Stymie.

The 8-year-old Malibu Moon gelding was claimed in November of 2019 for owner Charles Hallas and trainer Bob Klesaris. With three wins and four second-place finishes from 14 starts at the distance, Klesaris, who opted to scratch from last Saturday’s Bernardini in favor of the one-turn mile, said he is hoping for a strong early pace to set up well for Backsideofthemoon.

“He’s a really consistent horse,” said Klesaris. “He runs his race every time. Last out, Mr. Buff just kind of got away from the rest of the field. We opted to scratch from the Bernardini because with his style as a closer we think he’ll be more effective in the one-turn mile. Hopefully, we’ll get the pace that sets up for him.”

With Eric Cancel aboard, Backsideofthemoon will leave from post 7.

Also entered is Wicked Trick [Jose Lezcano, post 5] for conditioner Linda Rice, making his stakes debut off a six-race win streak for conditioner Linda Rice, who also owns with Stephen Cooper; Diamond King [Kendrick Carmouche, post 6] for Cash Is King Stable and trainer John Servis; Stan the Man [Dylan Davis, post 1] for trainer John Terranova and owner Long Lake Stable; and Lone Rock [Junior Alvarado, post 2] for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and Shortleaf Stable.

The Stymie is slated as Race 7 on Saturday’s 10-race card. First post time is 1:30 p.m. Eastern.

Lake Avenue set to make sophomore debut in Busher Invitational

By Ryan Martin

Godolphin’s graded stakes-winner Lake Avenue returns from a brief freshening against seven others in Saturday’s 41st running of the $250,000 Busher Invitational for sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The one-turn mile, named in honor of the 1945 Horse of the Year, offers 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers and served as a springboard for 2013 Kentucky Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar.

Saturday’s four-stakes card at the Big A will be anchored by the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, a Kentucky Derby prep race offering 50-20-10-5 qualifying points to the top-four finishers, and is bolstered by the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool for 4-years-old and up and the $125,000 Stymie for 4-year-olds and up.

America’s Day at the Races will have live coverage from 5:30-7 p.m. Eastern on FS2 and will also air from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on MSG+.

Lake Avenue acquired 10 points with a gate-to-wire four-length triumph in the Grade 2 Demoiselle on December 7 last out, going 1 1/8 miles, and is currently ninth on the leaderboard.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the chestnut daughter of Tapit has breezed consistently at Payson Park in Indiantown, Florida, including a half-mile move in 49.60 seconds on March 2.

“She put in two very good efforts at Aqueduct and has been doing awesome since December,” said Darley America president Jimmy Bell. “We gave her a little Christmas break after the Demoiselle. Since she came back, her works have been steady. You have to get started sometime and it looks like the right distance. You know she likes the track and there’s just a lot of things that would lead you to want to be here.”

Lake Avenue is out of the Grade 1-winning Street Cry broodmare Seventh Street, who won the 2009 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park and Go for Wand at Saratoga for Godolphin.

She broke her maiden at second asking over the Big A oval going seven furlongs, displaying the same frontrunning style as in the Demoiselle, drawing off to a 12 ¾-length victory, registering a career-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure. She was second on debut finishing a length behind eventual stakes-placed Shug McGaughey trainee Power Move.

“I would like for her to become a Grade 1-winner and give her another similarity to her mother,” Bell said. “I think both are very genuine. She had a very good first start, where she was second to Shug’s filly, so she has done very little wrong, as did her mother. We’re cautiously optimistic for a successful campaign with her this year.”

Junior Alvarado, who rode Condo Commando to a Busher victory in 2015, has piloted Lake Avenue in all three of her career starts and will return in search of a fifth stakes win this meet, breaking from post 5.

“I think Billy and Junior work well in tandem,” Bell said. “They take each race as they find it. The filly has shown ability from seven furlongs to nine furlongs, which makes her very dimensional.”

Maedean, a fellow Tapit offspring, will also be making her first start since the Demoiselle, where she was a late-closing second to Lake Avenue.

Owned by Donald and Donna Adam’s Courtlandt Farms, Maedean made her two-turn debut in the Demoiselle after a win in the Tempted on November 1 at the Big A, where she broke a step slow, tracked the pace from fourth, made a four-wide move around the turn and battled with a foe down the stretch but gained momentum in the final furlong drawing off to a 5 ½-length victory.

A $450,000 acquisition from the Stone Farm consignment at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Maedean is out of the Arch broodmare Summer Solo, who finished third in the 2014 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational on turf.

“She’s doing excellent,” Hennig said. “The race is a good starting point. Ultimately, she wants more ground.”

Fresh off a triumph aboard Maximum Security in the Saudi Cup last weekend, jockey Luis Saez will be back aboard Maedean from post 4.

Trainer Michael Stidham, who sent out Saguaro Row to a victory in the Interborough earlier in the meet, will seek another stakes win at the Big A when entering stakes-placed Mo City.

Owned by Stallionaire Enterprises, the bay daughter of Uncle Mo has made both of her career starts at Tampa Bay Downs and arrives at the Busher off a narrow second-place finish in the Gasparilla on January 18.

Mo City enters with two bullet breezes under her belt, the most recent of which was a swift half-mile in 47.40 over the Tampa Bay Downs main track on February 28.

“She’s always one that is pretty aggressive in the morning,” Stidham said. “She shows good speed and is willing. We’re stretching out to a mile off that seven-furlong race where she made up some ground in the end. We’re taking a shot to see if she can handle the added distance and we feel that she should.”

Mo City is out of the Carson City broodmare City Sister and is a half-sister to 2010 Demoiselle winner Dixie City as well as Union City – the dam of three-time graded stakes winner Unified.

Jockey Manny Franco has the call aboard Mo City from post 1.

Completing the field are Kansas Kis [post 2, Eric Cancel]; Panthera Onca [post 3, Jose Lezcano]; Water White [post 6, Jorge Vargas, Jr.]; Persisto [post 7, Dylan Davis]; and Inveterate [post 8, Kendrick Carmouche].

The Busher Invitational is slated as Race 9 with a 5:14 p.m. Eastern post time on Saturday’s lucrative 10-race program. First post is 1:30 p.m.

Mischevious Alex looks to wreak havoc in Saturday’s Derby-prep G3 Gotham

By Brian Bohl —-

Cash is King and L C Racing’s Mischevious Alex has posted back-to-back stakes wins in impressive fashion and will now try to earn qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby as part of a competitive 11-horse field in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 68th running of the Gotham will offer 50-20-10-5 qualifying points to the top-four finishers towards the Grade 1 “Run for the Roses” on May 2 at Churchill Downs. Anchoring a four-stakes card at the Big A, Gotham Day will be bolstered by the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool for 4-years-old and up, the $250,000 Busher for sophomore fillies offering the same 50-20-10-5 point structure for the Kentucky Oaks, and the $125,000 Stymie for 4-year-olds and up.

America’s Day at the Races will have live coverage from 5:30-7 p.m. Eastern on FS2 and will also air from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on MSG+. Saturday’s 10-race card will feature the Gotham as finale with a 5:42 p.m. Eastern post time. First post is 1:30 p.m.

Mischevious Alex enters the one-turn mile with momentum as the field’s only graded stakes winner courtesy of his seven-length score in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Swale on February 1 at Gulfstream Park. The John Servis trainee is 3-1-1 in six career starts, including a third-place finish under jockey Trevor McCarthy in his only previous start at one mile in the Sapling, a two-turn event, on September 1 at Monmouth Park.

The Into Mischief colt tried turf for the only time in his career, running seventh in the Laurel Futurity on September 21. Servis moved him back to the main track and added blinkers, resulting in a 9 ¾-length win in the Parx Juvenile on November 5 before his sophomore debut in the Swale, which earned him a personal-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

“If you look at his Sapling, he looks like a horse that maybe doesn’t want to go that far, but Trevor [McCarthy] was adamant after the race that he should have won but the horse got to the front and started waiting on horses and pulled himself up,” Servis said. “I think the blinkers have solved that.”

Servis said a good Gotham performance could mean a return engagement at the Big A for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 4 that will offer 100-40-20-10 Derby points.

“If he runs good in the Gotham, we’ll have to try him two turns again to see how he handles it,” Servis said. “I think the Wood would be the most logical spot, but nothing is etched in stone. We have to get by Saturday first.”

Servis is no stranger to the Triple Crown circuit, having won the first two legs when Smarty Jones captured the Derby and Preakness in 2004 before finishing second, one length back to Birdstone, in the Belmont Stakes in his bid for history.

“They’re not a lot alike other than neither of them is very big,” Servis said. “Smarty was not a big horse and Alex isn’t a big horse. There’s not a lot of similarities other than both of them being pretty talented.”

Mischevious Alex, purchased for $140,000 at the 2019 Ocala Breeders’ Sale, will pick up jockey Kendrick Carmouche’s services for the first time, drawing post 6.

“He’s a good horse and has a great mind on him and will do what you want him to do,” Servis said. I’ll reiterate that to Kendrick and let him know he’s pretty push button and to ride him accordingly.”

Southern Equine Stable’s Sixto was an impressive debut winner on January 30 in a six-furlong sprint at Aqueduct, earning an 81 Beyer for his 1 ¾-length score against a five-horse field. Trained by Eric Guillot, Sixto has breezed three times at the Belmont Park training track since his win, including a three-furlong blowout in 37.12 seconds on Monday.

“He’s doing great,” Guillot said. “His last time to the track we just gave him an easy work from the gate. It was a deep track and he finished up strong. Stepping up into the Gotham against better horses, we knew he had to be sharper so we just gave him that reminder to focus on breaking good and it worked out.

“He’s really a push-button horse,” he added. “He’s a late foal and I think once he develops more, he’ll be a nice two-turn horse but for now, the one-turn mile should suit him fine.”

The Curlin colt, who was a $250,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, will see Eric Cancel pick up the mount from post 7.

Trainer Linda Rice will saddle a pair of contenders in last-out stakes-winner Montauk Traffic and First Deputy.

Montauk Traffic, owned by Chris Fountoukis, dwelt at the start of his first race on December 14 before winning each of his next two starts, breaking his maiden by 4 ½ lengths on December 28. The Cross Traffic colt handled the step up to stakes company, winning the seven-furlong Jimmy Winkfield on February 8 on a fast Aqueduct track.

Jose Lezcano will have the call again, drawing post 8, as Montauk Traffic makes his first start at a mile.

“We like to think that the added distance will only help him,” Rice said. “I was a little concerned around the turn [of the Jimmy Winkfield]. Jose opted to quit chasing faster fractions and just let the horse settle. Around the turn it looked like he was getting some kickback and trying to work his way through that as well. He made a nice move at the end of it, and we believe that the further the better for him.”

Calumet Farm’s First Deputy will make his first stakes appearance in his eighth start following consecutive wins at six furlongs. The $200,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic Sale will have Dylan Davis aboard from post 11.
“It’s a big step up in company. We’re giving him a shot, he’s training well,” Rice said. “Being an Awesome Again colt, the distance should be within his wheelhouse.”

Untitled, owned by Gary Barber and Michael Sebastian, broke a string of poor breaks last out, running second in an optional claimer on February 14 at Tampa Bay Downs. Mark Casse took over the training duties after the son of Khozan won his first start in December. After being knocked around out of the gate in the Grade 3 Swale in which he finished fourth, Casse saw a cleaner break last month in Tampa in which he led the five-horse field through the quarter-mile and half-mile marks before running second to Gouverneur Morris.

Making his first start outside of the Sunshine State, Casse said the Florida bred has looked good training at Palm Meadows.

“He’s been training really well,” Casse said. “He’s a beautiful horse. He’s a big, long, good-moving horse. The problem he has sometimes is he breaks a bit slow. After we bought him, we breezed him from the gate trying to get him to be a little quicker right from there. I always wanted to run him long, and I figure the longer I run him, the less important the start is. But he broke pretty good last time.”

Junior Alvarado will pick up the mount from post 10.

Two other contenders enter with Derby prep points to their credit, including Imperial Racing’s Celtic Striker, who earned one point thanks to a fourth-place Jerome finish on New Year’s Day at Aqueduct for trainer Raymond Handal. Romero Ramsay Maragh will ride from post 1.

Informative, owned and trained by Uriah St. Lewis, also earned a qualifying point for finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Remsen for juveniles on December 2. The Bodemeister colt won his only start in his 3-year-old campaign, breaking his maiden at eighth asking on February 8, and will now make a big step up in class.

John Bisono will have the mount for the seventh straight time aboard Informative, breaking from post 2.

Rounding out the field is Necker Island, fifth in the Swale in his only stakes appearance for trainer Stanley Hough [post 5, Manny Franco]; War Stopper, a first-time stakes starter, for conditioner Rudy Rodriguez [post 3, Jorge Vargas, Jr.]; Attachment Rate, making his stakes bow after a maiden-breaking win on an off track February 15 at Gulfstream for trainer Dale Romans [post 4, Luis Saez]; and Flap Jack, winner of the Arlington-Washington Futurity in September, making his first start in six months for trainer Jack Sisterson [post 9, Declan Carroll].

Multiple G1-winner Mind Control headlines G3 Tom Fool

NYRA PRESS OFFICE —-

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables’ Mind Control, a dual Grade 1-winner on the New York Racing Association circuit, leads a salty field of eight in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Saturday’s four-stakes card at the Big A will be anchored by the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, a Kentucky Derby prep race offering 50-20-10-5 qualifying points to the top-four finishers, and is bolstered by the $250,000 Busher for sophomore fillies offering the same qualifying point structure towards the Kentucky Oaks, and the $125,000 Stymie for 4-year-olds and up. America’s Day at the Races will have live coverage from 5:30-7 p.m. Eastern on FS2 and will also air from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on MSG+.

Trained by Gregg Sacco, the 4-year-old Stay Thirsty colt, bred in Kentucky by Red Oak Stable, has captured a pair of Grade 1 races at Saratoga Race Course, beginning with the Grade 1 Hopeful as a juvenile and the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens last year.

Sacco said the versatile Mind Control, who boasts wins from six furlongs up to one mile, will look to continue his Big Apple success with a campaign that includes Grade 1 stops at the six-furlong Carter on April 4 at the Big A and the one-mile Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap on June 6 as part of eight Grade 1s slated for Belmont Stakes Day at Belmont Park.

“He loves New York,” said Sacco. “He’s like New York’s adopted son and he does his best racing here. He’s really thrived here in his training and he has an affinity for Aqueduct. He really runs well over that track. He trains super at Belmont, and we wanted to keep him close to home. The New York races are rich and deep in tradition, so we’ll take it one race at a time starting with the Tom Fool on Saturday, with an eye on the Carter and the Met Mile after that if all continues to go well.”

Mind Control has won three of four starts at Aqueduct, including scores in the Jerome and Grade 3 Bay Shore during a productive sophomore campaign, and a last-out nose win in the Grade 3 Toboggan in his seasonal debut on January 18.
Sacco said he initially planned to train Mind Control up to the Carter, but the talented bay proved too sharp to keep in the barn.

“He’s been bouncing over the track so well and jumping out of his skin,” said Sacco. “After discussing with my brother [racing manager Rick Sacco] and the team, we thought the timing would be right a month out of the Carter. It just made sense to run in the Tom Fool.”

Mind Control has made his last five starts at seven furlongs and hasn’t sprinted three-quarters of a mile since his maiden win at second asking on August 12, 2018 at Monmouth Park. That effort followed a narrow defeat to eventual multiple graded-stakes winner Call Paul when sprinting 5 ½-furlongs in his career debut in July 2018 at Delaware Park.

Sacco said he his confident in Mind Control’s ability to cut back in distance on Saturday in the six-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and upward.

“The couple times he sprinted, he’s sprinted with success. I don’t think the cut back will be a problem for him going three-quarters,” said Sacco. “He’s really coming into the race super and we’re expecting a good race out of him on Saturday.”

Junior Alvarado, currently fifth in the Big A winter meet standings with 35 wins, will pick up the mount from Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who is committed to riding at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday.

“Johnny fits him like a glove, but Junior is a very talented rider. He’s not a hard horse to ride, but he’s had a tendency to wait on horses in the past,” said Sacco. “Junior has watched all of his races and is going to speak to Johnny. I hope they’re a good match on Saturday.”

Alvarado will guide Mind Control from post 4.

M and A Racing’s Happy Farm, trained by Jason Servis, captured the Grade 3 Fall Highweight on December 8 at Aqueduct, but saw his four-race win streak come to an end last out when second, by a head, to stablemate Firenze Fire.
The 6-year-old Ghostzapper gelding was claimed for $30,000 last March at the Big A and has compiled a record of four wins and two seconds for new connections in sprint events at Belmont and Aqueduct.

Jose Lezcano, whose 54 wins see him tied with Eric Cancel to top the winter meet table, has the call from post 5.

Trainer Michelle Nevin will saddle a pair of top contenders in SJB Stable and Marcello Micozzi’s Skyler’s Scramjet and Jay Em Ess Stable’s Wonderful Light.
Skyler’s Scramjet, a 6-year-old son of Creative Cause, will look for his first win since capturing the 2018 Tom Fool. The talented grey, who boasts a record of five wins and four seconds from 19 starts, hasn’t raced since an off-the-board effort in the Tale of the Cat in August at Saratoga.

Out of the stakes-winning mare Abundantly Blessed, Skyler’s Scramjet has posted a steady string of works on the Belmont Park training track dating back to January 8, including a February 29 breeze in 1:01.80.

“We’re happy to have him back. He’s been doing everything like clockwork and hasn’t missed a beat, so we’re excited to see him out there,” said Nevin.
Wonderful Light, a 6-year-old son of Tiz Wonderful, was a rallying second to Happy Farm in the Fall Highweight but failed to fire his best shot last out when fourth in the Gravesend.

Out of the multiple stakes winner By the Light, Wonderful Light is a half-brother to the multiple Grade 1-winning mare By the Moon. With a record of 14-5-4-3 and purse earnings of $303,955, the Kentucky homebred is in search of his first stakes win.

“He’s doing good and came out of his last race good, so it’s all-systems-go,” said Nevin. “He’s been doing really well. Hopefully, he gets back on form.”

Manny Franco will guide Skyler’s Scramjet from post 8, while Wonderful Light will leave from post 3 under Luis Saez.

Main Line Racing Stable’s Wentz, a lightly-raced 5-year-old chestnut, finished fourth last out in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint on May 18 at Pimlico. That effort came on the heels of a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure earned in an optional-claiming sprint score at Keeneland for trainer Tyler Servis.

The Super Saver horse has trained forwardly at Palm Meadows in preparation for his return and will exit post 7 under Kendrick Carmouche.

Bon Raison was claimed for $80,000 by Flying P Stable last out and will make his first start for conditioner Michael Tannuzzo in the Tom Fool. The hard-knocking son of Raison d’Etat won six of 21 starts in 2019, including stakes scores in the Peeping Tom at the Big A and the Tale of the Cat at the Spa.

Co-meet leading rider Eric Cancel has the call from post 6.

Yellow Moon Stable, John G. Novello and Richard Kwiecinski’s Sicilia Mike, bred in New York by Linda Rice and Antonio Miuccio, brings a two-race win streak into his graded-stakes debut.

Trained by Gary Sciacca, the 6-year-old Girolamo gelding will be piloted by Jorge Vargas, Jr. from post 2.

Lawrence Roman’s Mr. Dougie Fresh, fresh off a claim for $62,500 from a last-out third to Stymie contender Joevia in a January 17 optional-claiming sprint at Aqueduct, will make his first start for trainer Rob Atras. The 6-year-old Ghostzapper colt sports a solid record at the Big A of 2-5-2 from 10 starts. He will emerge from the inside post under Dylan Davis.

The Tom Fool is slated as Race 8 with an approximate post time of 4:46 p.m. Eastern on Saturday’s 10-race card. First post is 1:30 p.m. Eastern.