Aqueduct Stakes Previews

Posted On 21 Nov 2022

By Mary Eddy/Ryan Martin Keith McCalmont —-

Donk sends out Thin White Duke, Yes and Yes in $150K Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Conditioner David Donk will have two chances to capture his first $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship with Thin White Duke and Yes and Yes in Friday’s six-furlong outer turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

“I always say, ‘If I’m going to lead one over, I’ll lead two over,’” said Donk. “It’s a common partnership, and they have different [running] styles, so that works out well.”

Breeder Phil Gleaves, Steven Crist, Ken deRegt and Bryan Hilliard’s Thin White Duke, a New York-bred Dominus gelding, enters from a determined optional claiming victory traveling six furlongs on October 27 at Belmont at the Big A under a well-timed ride from Hall of Famer John Velazquez.

Thin White Duke rallied from 5 1/2 lengths off the pace after being bumped at the start and needed every bit of the stretch to make a winning drive, but secured a half-length victory over Prime Factor in a final time of 1:08.64 over good footing. The win came after an even fifth-place finish behind returning rival Dancing Buck in the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint on October 1 at Belmont at the Big A.

“He’s really developed that turn of foot, which is really nice,” said Donk. “He’s doing really good and he’s certainly been a fun horse to have.”

Thin White Duke, who was initially trained by Gleaves before he retired last year, has posted three wins for Donk, including a nose score over Dancing Buck in the Lucky Coin in September at Saratoga Race Course. His lone graded placing came when defeated a neck by multiple graded stakes-winner Golden Pal in a thrilling renewal of the Grade 3 Troy in August at Saratoga, finishing a neck back of runner-up True Valor, who was headed by Golden Pal at the wire.

Thin White Duke earned his other two stakes coups as a juvenile with back-to-back triumphs against state-breds in the Funny Cide at Saratoga and in the Aspirant at Finger Lakes Racetrack. He boasts a record of 20-5-3-5 and earnings of $495,001.

“He was a really good 2-year-old, so he showed ability [early on],” said Donk. “He gives us a lot of hope for next year and he’s had a great year. It will be really fun to bring him back next year.”

Jose Ortiz has been tasked with the ride from post 6.

Yes and Yes, bred and owned by Gleaves with Joseph R. Straus, Jr. and Hugh Fitzsimons, will look to find the winner’s circle after two on-the-board finishes against stakes company. The 6-year-old son of Sidney’s Candy was a last-out third in the Belmont Turf Sprint, finishing 5 1/4 lengths behind the Michelle Nevin-trained Dancing Buck after stumbling at the start and rallying from sixth.

“He’s had a slight break and freshening, but he’s done well,” said Donk. “He stumbled really badly at the start, so it cost him position. Not that he would have beat Michelle’s horse, but he would have made a more tactical race. It will be interesting to run him back.”

Like his stablemate, Yes and Yes began his career with Gleaves and moved to the care of Donk last year. He is in search of his first stakes victory in his sixth attempt, his other efforts this year including a game finish in the Da Hoss in September at Colonial Downs where he was elevated to second after crossing the finish line third.

Yes and Yes will leave post 10 with Jorge Vargas, Jr. in the irons.

Breeder J and N Stables and Diamond M Stable’s New York-bred Dancing Buck will look to double up on stakes scores for trainer Michelle Nevin after his last-out triumph in the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint on October 1.

The 4-year-old son of War Dancer enters from an impressive five-length victory where he led at every point of call in the six-furlong sprint contested over yielding footing, driving strongly down the stretch under Manny Franco to earn the first graded win of his career. The effort garnered a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure.

The consistent dark bay has been on the board in 5-of-6 starts this year, including a narrow nose defeat to Thin White Duke in the aforementioned Lucky Coin on September 2. His other two victories this year came in a seven-furlong first-level allowance in June at Belmont Park and an optional claiming sprint in July at the Spa.

Out of the multiple stakes-placed Catienus mare Frivolous Buck, Dancing Buck is a close relative of the Nevin-trained stakes winner Our Last Buck. He has amassed over $431,000 in earnings through a record of 14-6-3-1.

Manny Franco retains the mount from post 12.

Calumet Farm’s Gear Jockey enters from a close fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Woodford sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on October 8 at Keeneland in his first start off a four-month respite for trainer Rusty Arnold. Under the guidance of Luis Saez, Gear Jockey tracked in second off the pace set by Golden Pal and battled on gamely down the lane, fading slightly and securing the fourth-place finish in a dead heat with returning foe Bad Beat Brian. The pair finished a half-length back of Artemus Citylimits, who was nosed out of place honors by Oceanic.

Gear Jockey, a 5-year-old son of Twirling Candy, earned his first graded placing as a maiden with a close third-place effort in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Bourbon in 2019 at Keeneland before posting another close third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf that November at Santa Anita, finishing one length behind the victorious Structor.

The bay horse broke his maiden in his ninth lifetime outing in January 2021 at Gulfstream Park, one start before coming up a half-length shy in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf at the Hallandale Beach oval a month later. He went on to post two more victories at allowance level and finished third in the Grade 3 Troy at Saratoga Race Course before earning his first graded win in the Grade 3 Turf Sprint last September at Kentucky Downs.

Ridden to victory by Jose Lezcano, Gear Jockey was given a prominent trip and sat a half-length off pacesetter Bombard before unleashing his bid in the turn to take a two-length advantage at the stretch call of the six-furlong sprint. Gear Jockey extended his margin down the lane and crossed the wire 2 1/2 lengths the best in a final time of 1:07.90.

Gear Jockey is still in search of his first win since, but earned another graded placing when third in the Grade 2 Shakertown in April at Keeneland.

Lezcano has the call from post 9.

Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso’s New York-bred Run Curtis Run will also look to double up on stakes scores after a last-out victory in the Carle Place on October 23 at Belmont at the Big A. Trained by Mike Maker, the son of Summer Front entered from three consecutive runner-up finishes at stakes level and put it all together with a last-to-first rush to claim the 1 1/2-length victory under Jose Ortiz.

Bred by Larry Goichman, Run Curtis Run earned graded placings this summer with runner-up efforts in the Grade 3 Quick Call presented by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation at Saratoga and the Grade 2 Franklin-Simpson in September at Kentucky Downs. He earned his other stakes victory as a juvenile in the state-bred Rick Violette over Saratoga’s main track.

Run Curtis Run will emerge from post 11 in rein to Kendrick Carmouche.

Completing the field are Voodoo Zip [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Bad Beat Brian [post 2, Christopher Emigh], Nathan Detroit [post 3, Eric Cancel], Anaconda [post 4, Paco Lopez], Nothing Better [post 5, Horacio Karamanos], Chewing Gum [post 7, Javier Castellano] and Scuttlebuzz [post 8, Junior Alvarado].

Prime Factor, who adds blinkers, is listed as an also-eligible. Jaxon Traveler, Happy Farm and Greeley and Ben are entered for the main-track only.

The Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship is slated as Race 8 on Friday’s nine-race program, which also features the Grade 3, $175,000 Comely for sophomore fillies traveling nine furlongs [Race 7]; the Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 3/8 miles over the inner turf [Race 6]; and the $100,000 Notebook for state-bred juveniles sprinting six furlongs [Race 4]. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Kathleen O. returns in G3 Comely

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Winngate Stables’ dual graded stakes winner and Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks alumna Kathleen O. resumes serious business against a field of seven other sophomore fillies in Friday’s 73rd running of the Grade 3, $175,000 Comely going nine furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Hall of Famer and three-time Comely winner Shug McGaughey, Kathleen O. has not raced since finishing fifth in the Kentucky Oaks, arriving at the prestigious event unbeaten in four starts.

The daughter of third crop sire Upstart bragged triumphs in the Grade 2 Davona Dale on March 5 at Gulfstream Park and her two-turn debut in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks one month before facing a deep Oaks field that included reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Echo Zulu, Grade 1-winner Nest, and graded stakes winner Secret Oath. Following a bad break, Kathleen O. was 13 lengths back in 12th through the first point of call and made up enough ground to finish fifth beaten four lengths by Secret Oath over the wet fast main track.

Kathleen O. has progressed well since her run in the Kentucky Oaks according to McGaughey, who breezed the filly a half-mile in 48.07 seconds over the Belmont Park training track on Sunday.

“Her works have all been very good. She worked a half this morning very well, 48 and change, 1:01 and change to get her ready,” McGaughey said. “I’m looking forward to getting started. I gave her some time and brought her back and she’s done everything right so far.”

Kathleen O. returns to the Big A for the first time since a come-from-behind debut victory last November over a muddy and sealed main track, where she went from sixth-to-first in the last two points of call. She followed this effort with a New Year’s Day triumph in the one-mile Cash Run at Gulfstream Park.

“She was kind of a tall, lanky filly early on, so I gave her some time and all her races have been good. Her maiden race at Aqueduct in the mud was a good race,” McGaughey said. “She came back in the stake on New Year’s Day, and the Davona Dale, and Gulfstream Park Oaks and all that got her ready for the Kentucky Oaks. She didn’t get the best of breaks. She got in a little trouble and didn’t get to run our race that day. She only got beat four lengths. I’m looking forward to getting her back on the road and I think we’ll have a fresh horse.”

McGaughey said he would “definitely” keep going through the winter with Kathleen O., and mentioned the Grade 3, $150,000 Royal Delta on February 18 at Gulfstream Park as a possible target into her 4-year-old season.

“She’ll come down to Payson Park and I’ll find a spot at Gulfstream for her sometime after the first of the year and take it from there,” McGaughey said. “I’m thinking about maybe the Royal Delta that’s there at Gulfstream and there’s some other spots out of town that could fit, or something back in New York.”

Kathleen O., bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds and Bridlewood Farm, is the first progeny out of the stakes-placed Blame mare Quaver, whose second dam is multiple graded stakes producer Pretty N Smart. Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables at the 2021 OBS April Sale, Kathleen O. was bought for $275,000.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has piloted Kathleen O. in all five of her lifetime starts, and retains the mount from post 4.

WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.’s Falconet will attempt to keep a highly consistent record afloat while seeking her first graded stakes triumph for Hall of fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The Uncle Mo bay, out of the Grade 1-winning Summer Bird mare Birdatthewire, enters the Comely off a pair of runner-up efforts at stakes level, earning black type in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks on July 9 at Prairie Meadows and the Seneca Overnight on September 24 at Churchill. Both races run at a two-turn 1 1/16 miles.

“She was very game last time. It was a tough beat. I don’t think she’s a must-have-the-lead type, but she has natural speed, so we’ll take advantage of that,” Pletcher said. “She’s doing excellent. I think she’ll handle [nine furlongs] well and she’s been training forwardly. We’ve been pointing to this race for a little while.”

Never worse than second in five lifetime starts, Falconet broke her maiden in her two-turn debut on April 21 at Keeneland before cutting back to a one-turn mile to defeat winners at Churchill Downs six weeks later.

“She’s done well. She’s mentally matured a lot and has become more and more professional. She’s matured nicely,” Pletcher said.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride Falconet for the first time when she breaks from post 7.

LC Racing, Cash is King and Gary Barber’s heavily seasoned Morning Matcha enters the Comely off her lone layoff in 16 lifetime starts for trainer Butch Reid, Jr. The Pennsylvania-bred, New York-sired Central Banker bay was most recently second at 48-1 odds behind Society in the Grade 1 Cotillion on September 24 at Parx Racing two starts following a 10-length allowance romp at the Bensalem oval.

The durable Morning Matcha brags field best earnings of $632,390 while hitting the board 13 times, six at stakes level. Her lone stakes victory took place in Parx’s Main Line on March 8.

Paco Lopez, the rider in her last three starts, will retain the mount from post 6.

Reid, Jr. will also saddle LC Racing and Cash is King’s Pistol Liz Ablazen, a last-out 9 1/2-length winner of her two-turn debut on October 25 at Parx Racing. The Daredevil filly, who will make her first start outside of Parx, showed frontrunning dimensions for the first time in her most recent effort, which was contested over a sloppy and sealed main track.

Frankie Pennington ships in to pilot Pistol Liz Ablazen from post 1.

Racing and breeding powerhouse Godolphin will be after their third Comely conquest with Kentucky homebred Nostalgic, who is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott.

The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro captured the Grade 3 Gazelle on April 8, the final local prep for the Kentucky Oaks, in her most recent victory. Following a troubled 10th in the Kentucky Oaks, Nostalgic earned Grade 1 black type when a distant third to Nest in the Coaching Club American Oaks on July 23 at Saratoga Race Course. She enters off a runner-up against elders in the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm on November 4 at the Big A.

Nostalgic will attempt to become the first filly to capture the Gazelle-Comely double since New York-bred Saratoga Dew in 1992.

Breaking from post 5, Nostalgic will be ridden by Junior Alvarado.

KimDon Racing’s Tizzy in the Sky makes her stakes debut for trainer Jose Camejo following two decisive triumphs at Aqueduct. The dark bay or brown Sky Kingdom filly showed frontrunning dimensions in her third out maiden victory, where she defeated next-out winners Signal From Noise and Inventing by 5 3/4 lengths on September 23. She arrives off a 9 3/4-length triumph against winners going the Comely distance on October 28.

Jose Ortiz will ride from post 8.

Completing the field are MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm’s Sixtythreecaliber [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche], who bested Falconet in the Seneca Overnight, and Rigney Racing’s dual winner Skratch Kat [post 3, Manny Franco].

The Comely honors the James Butler homebred filly who defeated males in the inaugural Fall Highweight Championship – then run as the Autumn Highweight – as a 2-year-old. The Comely is carded as Race 7 [3:14 p.m.] on Friday’s nine-race program, which also features the Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island, the $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship and the $100,000 Notebook. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

Temple City Terror ships in for G3 Long Island

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Town and Country Racing’s Temple City Terror will look to double up on graded scores in Friday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island, an 11-furlong inner-turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Long Island, slated for Race 6, is part of a stacked nine-race card also featuring the Grade 3, $175,000 Comely in Race 7, the $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship in Race 8 and the $100,000 Notebook in Race 4. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, the 6-year-old Temple City dark bay was purchased for $600,000 at the recently concluded Keeneland Association November Breeding Stock Sale. She made the grade last out in the 12-furlong Grade 3 Dowager on October 23 over firm footing at Keeneland. With Tyler Gaffalione up, Temple City Terror was 10 lengths off the pace in eighth position at the first point of call, but swept to the lead through the final turn en route to a comfortable three-length score.

Walsh said Temple City Terror, who breezed back a half-mile in 49.80 November 17 over the Churchill Downs main track, has exited that effort soundly.

“She’s done great from that race,” Walsh said. “She’s improving as she’s getting older. She’s been a great servant and had a great year. She ran great last out at Keeneland and she’s a long way from being finished yet. Friday will be a big test, but hopefully she can come through that as well.”

Temple City Terror, who boasts a record of 28-6-5-5 for purse earnings of $696,218, successfully defended her title in the 12-furlong Keertana in May at Churchill Downs. She followed with an off-the board effort in the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial in July over soft going at Delaware and a runner-up effort to multiple Grade 1-winner War Like Goddess in the Grade 2 Glens Falls in August at Saratoga Race Course. Temple City Terror entered the Dowager from a close fourth in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl in September at the Spa.

Temple City Terror often races from double-digit lengths off the pace, but Walsh said the mare is capable of being closer if needed when exiting post 2 under Jose Ortiz, who guided Maxfield to a pair of Grade 1 scores for the veteran conditioner.

“A lot depends on the pace,” Walsh said. “She does like to have pace in front of her and when there’s something to run at, she comes on very well at the end of her races. We’ll let the pace of the race decide it. Jose is a great rider and has been very lucky for me down through the years and we’re delighted to have him on.”

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown entered a trio of contenders in search of his third Long Island score in graded-stakes winner Rocky Sky [post 4, Manny Franco], Group 2-winner Kalifornia Queen [post 5, Jose Lezcano] and graded-stakes placed Capital Structure [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr.].

Peter Brant’s Rocky Sky, a 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Rock of Gibraltar, enters from a 1 1/4-length score over Capital Structure in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Waya, contested October 2 over 11 furlongs of yielding Big A turf.

Initially campaigned in her native Ireland, Rocky Sky debuted for Brown in August 2021 with an off-the-board effort in the Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational and did not return until her current campaign. She was a close second in March to stablemate Bleecker Street in the Grade 2 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs in her only previous graded outing this season.

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, First Row Partners and Michael J. Caruso’s Kalifornia Queen, a 5-year-old Lope de Vega chestnut, made her seasonal debut last out with a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Athenia at nine-furlongs on September 24 here.

The German-bred joined Brown in 2021 and posted a record of 6-1-1-2, including a close third in the 10-furlong Grade 1 E. P. Taylor contested over yielding going at Woodbine. Kalifornia Queen captured the 2020 Group 2 Gestut Rottgen Diana Trial at Hoppegarten for her former conditioner Hank Grewe.

Klaravich Stables’ Capital Structure, a 5-year-old Lope de Vega chestnut, boasts a ledger of 10-3-2-1 for purse earnings of $218,915. She captured an 11-furlong optional-claimer in July over firm footing at the Spa ahead of a sixth-place finish in the nine-furlong All Along in September at Pimlico. She closed from last-of-6 to complete the exacta in the Waya.

Rounding out the field is the multiple stakes-placed Tic Tic Tic Boom [post 3, Andrew Wolfsont] for trainer Alan Bedard; and stakes-placed Big Time Lady [post 1, Jose Gomez] for trainer Chris Englehart.

D’ont Lose Cruz seeks stakes success in $100K Notebook

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – D’ont Lose Cruz steps into stakes company for the first time in Friday’s $100,000 Notebook, a six-furlong sprint over the main track for New York-bred juveniles, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained and co-owned by Rick Schosberg with Clear Stars Stable, Mitre Box Stable, Big Toe Stables and Koshanostra Stables, the Always Dreaming gelding enters from a gate-to-wire graduation at second asking on October 27 sprinting six furlongs over a fast Big A main track. That effort came on the heels of a narrow head defeat here after setting the pace on September 29

Schosberg said the talented dark bay, who garnered a field-best 84 Beyer Speed Figure last out, has room to improve.

“We haven’t gotten close to the bottom of him yet,” Schosberg said. “He’s got the talent, but he’s got to calm down. He’s like a 13-year-old kid that can dunk. You’ve got to rein him in a bit and let him focus on his job because in one of these races, he’ll have to deal with more adversity. But that comes with experience. I think he’s got the class, but right now he’s just happy being a fast horse.”

The $100,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase is out of the multiple stakes-winning D’Wildcat mare D’Wild Ride. The speedy fellow was training towards a summer debut at Saratoga Race Course before Schosberg altered course.

“We always liked him,” Schosberg said. “He had a bit of an issue when we first got him to Saratoga. He had a bit of a shin at the sale and then it came back around at Saratoga, so we went ahead stopped on him then. We paid $100,000 for him so we knew he had some talent. We were hoping he would be this good, but you never know.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr., who is two stakes wins shy of tying a record 76 stakes wins in a single North American season, retains the mount from post 4.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s multiple stakes-winner Acoustic Ave [post 3, Manny Franco] will look to run his win streak to three for trainer Christophe Clement.

The Maclean’s Music chestnut, purchased for $200,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, arrives from a pair of state-bred stakes scores at Finger Lakes where he captured the 5 1/2-furlong Aspirant by 9 1/4-lengths in September and the six-furlong New York Breeders’ Futurity by a nose on October 17.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Acoustic Ave proved to be a game winner last out, dueling with graded-stakes placed Andiamo a Firenze throughout before prevailing in a thrilling photo finish.

He made his first two starts at the Spa, graduating in style on debut in July over a fast main track. He followed with a distant third on August 26 in the 6 1/2-furlong Funny Cide presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital which was won by Andiamo a Firenze by 5 1/2-lengths over Donegal Surges in a race contested on a muddy and sealed main track.

Chester and Mary Broman’s homebred Starquist [post 1, Eric Cancel] enters from a prominent third in the state-bred Sleepy Hollow, a one-turn mile contested over a fast Big A main track on October 30.

Trained by John Kimmel, the Nyquist bay rallied to post a one-length win in his October 9 debut sprinting six furlongs against fellow state-breds here. He is out of the stakes-winning Sky Mesa mare Star Grazing, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes-winning stallion Friend Or Foe – the sire of the Kimmel-trained / Broman-bred millionaire Mr. Buff.

Rounding out the field are maiden winners Flashy Alex [post 6, Javier Castellano] for trainer Randi Persaud and Mshindi [post 2, Jackie Davis], who adds blinkers for trainer Natalia Lynch; along with maiden General Banker [post 5, Jose Lezcano] for conditioner James Ferraro.

The Notebook is slated as Race 4 on Friday’s nine-race card which also features the Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island in Race 6, the Grade 3, $175,000 Comely in Race 7 and the $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship in Race 8. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Miss Dracarys wins gate-to-wire in $135K Forever Together

By Keith McCalmont

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Al Shira’aa Farms’ Miss Dracarys earned her first career stakes win with a frontrunning effort under Dylan Davis in Sunday’s $135,000 Forever Together, a 1 1/16 mile outer turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale, the 4-year-old Malibu Moon filly entered from a similar pacey effort in a nine-furlong optional-claimer on October 20 here when racing from a four-month layoff.

Drysdale said the strong run of form at Aqueduct has convinced the connections keep Miss Dracarys in training into 2023.

“She’s come well as of late. She’s an improving filly and we look forward to racing her again next year,” Drysdale said. “That was decided after this race. I spoke to [Al Shira’aa Stud] general manager Kieran Lalor and he felt that Miss Dracarys should stay in training for next year. She’ll spend some time in Kentucky and get turned out.”

Davis hustled Miss Dracarys from the gate and took command through splits of 24.35 seconds, 48.73 and 1:13.05 over the firm footing with the Eric Cancel-piloted Evvie Jets tracking in second position.

Cancel gave Evvie Jets her cue into the far turn and the last-out Grade 3 Noble Damsel-winner responded, advancing to the outside of the pacesetter as Finest Work and post-time favorite Messidor launched their wide bids. But Miss Dracarys dug in gamely from the top of the lane and bravely put away the challenge from Evvie Jets to win by one length in a final time of 1:42.40. Evvie Jets completed the exacta by four lengths over the ground-saving Coconut Cake with Finest Work, Messidor and Lashara rounding out the order of finish. Por Que No, Fluffy Socks and main-track only entrant Exotic West were scratched.

Davis, who has been aboard Miss Dracarys through her last five starts, said the decision to take the lead was made easier following the scratch of likely pacesetter Por Que No.

“Then it was a no-brainer. It made things a lot easier for us,” Davis said. “She ended up breaking well and I still helped her across there to get to the turn. I found myself on the lead again, so I just tried to mimic the last race. She kind of has one pace so I got into her around the three-eighths pole to get her run going. She’s a fighter so when a horse challenges her, she fought off the challenger. I really thought she was going to be second or third and she fought back and ended up the winner.”

Evvie Jets has now posted a record of 10-3-5-0 since being claimed for $80,000 last September by trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci for owner Robert Amendola. The consistent run of form includes a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Athenia here on September 24 ahead of making the grade last out on October 22 in the one-mile Noble Damsel.

Cancel said he was proud of the effort from the hard-trying Evvie Jets.

“It was a pretty decent pace. The filly ran very well and the ground was a little too hard for her; she was spinning her wheels a little bit trying to keep up,” Cancel said. “But she ran a big race and she’s been improving every single time. We’re just really happy with her. I tried to move a little bit earlier because I knew he [Davis] had an advantage over me.”

In addition to her recent optional-claiming score, Miss Dracarys had made two previous starts over the Big A turf, posting a winning debut sprinting six furlongs in December 2020 and a close third to Plum Ali last November over good going in the 1 1/16-mile Winter Memories. She raced twice in optional-claiming company at the Belmont spring/summer meet, including a good second to eventual graded-stakes winner Love And Thunder going one-mile in May and an even fourth on June 10 traveling seven furlongs before taking a break.

The $525,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, out of the Speightstown mare Ask Me When, is a full-sister to graded stakes-placed Aristocratic and a half-sibling to graded-stakes placed Up the Ante.

Bred in Kentucky by Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estate, Miss Dracarys banked $74,250 in victory while improving her record to 12-4-2-1. She returned $12.80 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Friday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card featuring the Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island, the Grade 3, $175,000 Comely, the $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship and the $100,000 Notebook. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.