Aqueduct Racetrack Notes 04/28

Aqueduct Racetrack Notes

Good Lord Lorries earns 82 BSF for Woodhaven score
Dual graded stakes-winner Repo Rocks returns in Friday allowance; G1 BC Classic-winner White Abarrio works at Belmont
G1 BC Turf Sprint-winner Nobals returns to the tab, possible for G1 Jaipur
Uncle Heavy works for possible start in G3 Peter Pan

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Harrell Venture’s Good Lord Lorrie returned from an eight-month layoff to capture Saturday’s $125,000 Woodhaven, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by George Weaver, the son of Hard Spun stretched out successfully after winning on debut in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint in August at Saratoga Race Course.

Piloted by Flavien Prat in the Woodhaven, Good Lord Lorrie stalked in third down the backstretch while skimming the rail behind a quick tempo set by Works for Me, who marked the first half-mile in 46.28 seconds over the firm footing.

Good Lord Lorrie was asked to angle three-wide around the top duo of Works for Me and The Big Torpedo in the turn to make his bid for the lead as post-time favorite Carson’s Run bore out and carried out Elysian Meadows to the center of the course. Good Lord Lorrie was unaffected by the incident and continued his sustained run on the outside of a resolute The Big Torpedo to cross the wire a half-length in front in a final time of 1:34.85. He was awarded an 82 Beyer Speed Figure, a 10-point improvement from the number he earned on debut.

“The higher the better,” Weaver said of the figure, with a laugh. “He came out of it well. He’d been training well and is a nice horse. You never know because he had never been two turns, but I expected him to perform well. He had some physical issues last year, so we gave him some time.”

Weaver said the Grade 3 Penn Mile on May 31 at Penn National could be the next target for Good Lord Lorrie.

“We’ll take a look at the Penn Mile and then all the other 3-year-old turf stakes in New York as well,” said Weaver. “He’s always acted like he was fast and had talent.”

Bred in Kentucky by G. Watts Humphrey, Jr., Good Lord Lorrie was a $90,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the winning Smart Strike mare Spinning Wheel, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-placed Ride on Curlin and stakes-winner Space Mountain.

On Friday, Weaver will send out Grade 1-placed Dorth Vader for her return off a nine-month layoff in Churchill Downs’ 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 La Troienne as part of the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks undercard.

Campaigned by John Ropes, Dorth Vader has made two starts for Weaver, led by a head defeat to returning rival and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Pretty Mischievous in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park. She was last seen finishing an even fourth in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Test in August at Saratoga.

“She’s doing well,” said Weaver. “She has come along nice and I’m very happy with how she came back. There’s some fillies coming off of layoffs in there, so you never know which ones are going to run good or not. Dorth Vader is training very well and I believe she’s capable of doing well in there, so that’s why we’re entered.”

The 4-year-old daughter of Girvin made her first nine outings for trainer Michael Yates, including a graded conquest in the Grade 2 Davonna Dale last March at Gulfstream Park. She followed with off-the-board efforts in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks and Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks before heading to the Weaver barn.

Dorth Vader enters the La Troienne off of two six-furlong works at Palm Beach Downs, most recently covering the distance in 1:15.41 on Friday.

“First time [back] going long on the dirt, I wanted to make sure she had some solid ones going into there,” said Weaver.

Dorth Vader will emerge from the outermost post 7 [12-1 ML] with Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the irons.

Weaver will have one additional stakes starter at Churchill this week as multiple stakes-winner No Nay Mets takes on the William Walker, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomores, on Wednesday. Owned by Bregman Family Racing, WWBD and Edge Racing, the No Nay Never bay has been tabbed the 3-1 morning-line favorite on the heels of a close fourth when making his seasonal debut in the 5 1/2-furlong Palisades on April 7 at Keeneland.

“He’s a nice horse, and that was first off the bench,” said Weaver. “Hopefully, he can make amends and win on Wednesday.”

No Nay Mets put together a strong juvenile campaign when notching stakes conquests in the Royal Palm Juvenile on debut at Gulfstream, the Tyro at Monmouth Park, and the Rosie’s at Colonial Downs. He concluded the season with a game fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November at Santa Anita Park.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call from post 6.

Along with his Kentucky starters, Weaver also has two chances to win the English Channel on Saturday at Gulfstream with Please Advise and Time Song in the one-mile turf test for sophomores.

R.A. Hill Stable’s Please Advise makes his first start since capturing the six-furlong Atlantic Beach in November at the Big A, where his neck triumph was awarded a career-best 85 Beyer. The Palace Malice bay has worked consistently at Palm Beach Downs since early March and will emerge from post 2 in rein to Joe Bravo.

“He’s been training well and I’m very happy with him,” said Weaver.

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Time Song comes back on three weeks’ rest after a prominent 1 3/4-length graduation at fourth asking in an April 13 turf route at the Hallandale Beach oval. There, the Not This Time colt, who began his career with Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, made his first outing for Weaver and tracked two lengths off the early pace before advancing in the far turn and taking a two-length lead at the top of the lane. He drove home strongly to post the victory in a final time of 1:40.16 for 1 1/16 miles, earning a career-high 78 Beyer.

“He ran a nice race and he’s doing well, so there’s no reason to not take a shot with him,” said Weaver. “You’ve got to lead them over there when they’re doing well.”

Time Song will exit post 6 under Edwin Gonzalez.

Weaver also noted that dual stakes-winner Amidst Waves is eyeing the Grade 3, $175,000 Soaring Softly on May 12 here for her seasonal bow, while two-time graded stakes-winner Main Event is possible for a start in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fort Marcy on Saturday at Belmont at the Big A.

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Dual graded stakes-winner Repo Rocks returns in Friday allowance; G1 BC Classic-winner White Abarrio works at Belmont

Double B Racing Stable’s dual graded stakes-winner Repo Rocks returns from a 10-month layoff in Friday’s sixth race, a seven-furlong optional claiming sprint, at Belmont at the Big A. Previously conditioned by Jamie Ness, the 6-year-old son of Tapiture is now in the care of trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr.

Repo Rocks enters off two bullet works over the Belmont dirt training track, posting a half-mile in 47.35 seconds on both April 17 and on Tuesday.

“I like watching him train, he looks good training and covers so much ground,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever had a horse who has covered as much ground as him. It seems like he covers a sixteenth of a mile with each stride.”

Repo Rocks’ last trip to the winner’s circle came in last year’s Grade 3 Westchester at Belmont Park when stalking one length off the early pace and pouncing in the turn to a four-length advantage at the stretch call. He ran on strongly down the lane to cross the wire 5 1/4 lengths in front in a final time of 1:34.96. The effort was awarded a 109 Beyer Speed Figure.

Dutrow, Jr. said Repo Rocks has made good first impressions since his first work back in late March.

“He’s been good since he got to us and hasn’t missed any time since,” said Dutrow, Jr. “He’s been like clockwork and is ready to go, so let’s point him to what he likes – all good stuff.”

In addition to the Westchester, Repo Rocks’ 2023 campaign included his first graded triumph when romping by 8 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Toboggan here, which garnered a career-best 111 Beyer. He followed with another open-lengths win in the one-mile Listed Stymie here and a runner-up effort to Doppelganger in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets en route to the Westchester. He closed out his year with his most recent outing when off-the-board in the Grade 1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap in June.

Repo Rocks was claimed for $40,000 by Double B Racing in March 2021 and has since banked over $680,000. Bred in Virginia by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, III, Repo Rocks is out of the unraced Not For Love mare Hawaiian Love, a half-sister to dual Japanese Group 1-placed Machikane Hokushin.

Regular pilot Andrew Wolfsont will be aboard from post 2 in the seven-horse field, which also features graded stakes-winners General Jim and Stolen Base, and graded stakes-placed Baby Yoda, Accretive, and Nimitz Class.

Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic-winner White Abarrio worked Saturday at Belmont Park, covering a half-mile in 46.94 seconds over the dirt training track, the bullet for 169 works. The 5-year-old son of Race Day covered the distance under the guidance of jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who rode him to victory in the Classic and the Grade 1 Whitney in August at Saratoga Race Course.

Dutrow, Jr. said White Abarrio’s sharpness comes easy to him.

“He went really good. To me it was all basic stuff, I just take what comes” said Dutrow, Jr. “Irad was just sitting on him the whole breeze. He’s supposed to be breezing like that when he’s doing good. Irad and him – those two like each other.”

Dutrow, Jr. said White Abarrio, who was last seen finishing 10th in the Grade 1 Saudi Cup in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, has been in fine order since his return from Saudi Arabia. The talented gray is on target for another try at the Grade 1, $1 million Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course, a race he finished third in last year in his first start for Dutrow, Jr. after being transferred from the barn of Saffie Joseph, Jr.

“We’re very happy with him. He’s in good shape right now and there hasn’t been any issue since he ran. It’s all good with him right now,” said Dutrow, Jr. “We’re ready to start getting him ready to race, and he likes racing. We’re going to have fun with him. It’s a lot of fun being around him. All horsemen like being around good horses. It gives you a good feeling and man, we got one [yesterday] morning.”

Owned by C2 Racing, Anthony Pagnano, Mark Cornett and Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin A/Aziz, White Abarrio won Gulfstream Park’s Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby as a sophomore ahead of an off-the-board finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. He went on to pick up two more graded placings at three when second in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby and third in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap presented by NYRA Bets three starts before moving to Dutrow, Jr.

Bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm, White Abarrio has banked $5,146,350 in total purse earnings through a 16-7-1-3 record. The $40,000 purchase at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is out of the Into Mischief mare Catching Diamonds, a half-sister to dual Group 3-winner Cool Cowboy and Downside Scenario, dam of graded stakes-winner and second-year sire Mutasaabeq.

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G1 BC Turf Sprint-winner Nobals returns to the tab, possible for G1 Jaipur

Patricia’s Hope’s multiple graded stakes-winner Nobals returned to the work tab after a six-month respite following victory by a neck in the five-furlong Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on November 4 over firm Santa Anita Park turf.

Trained by Larry Rivelli, the Noble Mission gelding stormed up the rail to end his last campaign with a trip to the Breeders’ Cup winner’s circle, after also capturing the 5 1/2-furlong Da Hoss by a head in September at Colonial Downs.

In his first breeze back, the now 5-year-old Nobals covered three-furlongs in 39 seconds flat on April 21 over the Hawthorne dirt.

“We just gave him some time off for really no reason. It was just to give him some time, he was fine,” said Rivelli. “We’re going to come back and try to do the same thing this year. We’re going to map out a few races leading up to the Breeders’ Cup and try to do it again.”

Before the Da Hoss, Nobals contested the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Troy in August at Saratoga Race Course, where he was beaten three-quarters of a length by Cogburn over the soft Mellon Turf course.

Rivelli said that he hasn’t officially mapped out a plan for Nobals, but a possible return to the Spa could come in the Grade 1 Jaipur presented by Resolute Racing on June 8 Belmont Stakes Day, set for 5 1/2-furlongs instead of the usual six furlongs when held at Belmont Park.

“He’s won at three-quarters and five-eighths, I don’t think it matters to him. It just depends on where he will be in the race. If it is longer, he will probably be on the lead. If shorter, he probably comes from off the pace,” Rivelli said. “He runs his race every time, it just matters where he is positioned.”

A Jaipur victory awards a “Win and You’re In” berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar.

Nobals’ memorable score at the Breeders’ Cup over multiple graded stakes-winner Big Invasion was awarded a 102 Beyer Speed Figure, matching his career-best earned in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Turf Sprint last May on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs.

“I figured he would run good [at the Breeders’ Cup]. You do have to get lucky. I mean everything worked out perfectly there. He just got a tiny bit checked,” said Rivelli. “And the horse that ran second was half of a jump away from catching him. Good horse and a little bit of luck.”

Nobals, out of the Empire Maker mare Pearly Blue, was a $3,500 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. He has earned in excess of $1.4 million through a lifetime record of 18-10-3-0.

Patricia’s Hope and Richard Ravin’s Grade 2-winner One Timer, also a turf sprinter, boasts an impressive 12-7-2-1 record and will likely be pointed towards the six-furlong Grade 2, $2 million Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint on August 31, which also offers a “Win and You’re In” to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

The 5-year-old Trappe Shot gelding hasn’t returned to the tab after being beaten a head by Gear Jockey in last year’s edition of the Grade 2 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, which was valued then at $1 million. His sophomore campaign ended with a 4 1/4 length score there in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Franklin Simpson in September 2022.

“One Timer is going to go to Kentucky Downs, he’s won there once. This year, the [Turf Sprint] is for two million, he got beat an inch in it last year,” Rivelli said. “He’ll go there, but I’ve got several young babies that hopefully will be showing up when the Saratoga meet starts, maybe aiming to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile or something like that.

“I’m still just trying to figure out who’s who here,” Rivelli added, with a laugh.

As a juvenile, One Timer finished off-the-board in the five-furlong Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar.

Out of the Blame mare Spanish Star, One Timer, a $21,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, is a near millionaire with $914,135 in career earnings.

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Uncle Heavy works for possible start in G3 Peter Pan

Michael Millam and LC Racing’s Uncle Heavy is likely to make his next start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan on May 11 at Belmont at the Big A. The nine-furlong test for sophomores is the traditional prep for the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Butch Reid, Jr., Uncle Heavy endured a troubled trip last out from the outermost post 12 to finish fifth in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 6 here.

The Pennsylvania-bred son of Social Inclusion broke a step slow under Mychel Sanchez and raced in 10th position in the early running before making a wide move through the final turn. He went seven-wide into the stretch run and was in close proximity to Deposition, who fell inside the three-sixteenths.

“The outside post and the horse falling next to him didn’t help him,” Reid Jr. said.

The Wood effort came on the heels of stakes scores in the state-bred Wait For It in December at Parx and a rallying nose score over El Grande O in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Withers on February 3 here.

Uncle Heavy accumulated 30 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for his Big A efforts but Reid, Jr. elected not ship the colt to Louisville where he would have been among the also-eligibles for a spot in the 20-horse starting gate.

Instead, Reid, Jr. said Uncle Heavy, who worked five-eighths in 1:01.51 Saturday at Parx, will aim for the Peter Pan with the Grade 1 Preakness on May 18 at Pimlico Race Course also under consideration.

“We’re probably leaning toward the Peter Pan right now,” Reid, Jr. said. “He had a really nice breeze yesterday. We didn’t quite get into the Derby field and he would have ended up an also eligible so we decided not to do that ship and wait for something more local.”

Bred in Pennsylvania by Reid, Jr.’s sister-in-law Barbara Reid, Uncle Heavy has banked $323,580 through a 5-3-0-0 record.

Michael Millam’s Pennsylvania-bred Neecie Marie will make her seasonal debut in next Sunday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Beaugay, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for older fillies and mares here.

The 4-year-old Cross Traffic bay won the state-bred Mrs. Penny in August at Parx ahead of close runner-up effort to the Charlie Appleby-trained Eternal Hope at Belmont at the Big A in both the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Jockey Club Oaks Invitational and Grade 2 Sands Point.

Neecie Marie completed her sophomore campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Mrs. Revere in November at Churchill Downs. She scratched from the one-mile Dahlia on April 20 at Laurel Park in favor of the Beaugay.

“She’s doing really well but we wanted something a little bit longer anyway and the mile and a sixteenth fits her very well,” Reid, Jr. said.

Maximus Meridius, owned by Reid, Jr. in partnership with LC Racing and Cash is King, will cut back slightly in distance and add the services of Hall of Fame jockey Joel Rosario for next Sunday’s Listed $150,000 Gold Fever, a six-furlong sprint for sophomores.

The Maximus Mischief colt was last seen finishing second to the late-running Reasoned Analysis in the seven-furlong Listed Bay Shore on the Wood Memorial undercard. Maximus Meridius, with Sanchez aboard, opened up a four-length lead at the stretch call but could not sustain the advantage, finishing 3 1/4-lengths in arrears.

“He has a bad tendency of waiting on horses when he makes the lead and he did it again last time,” Reid, Jr. said. “We’ll have to talk to the jock and make sure he makes a late move with him and he’ll come running for them.”

The talented colt won his debut by 10 1/2-lengths in November at Parx and followed two starts later at the same track with a sharp optional-claiming win with blinkers on for the first time. He has made his last two outings in stakes company at the Big A, finishing a prominent fourth in the Grade 3 Gotham traveling a one-turn mile in March ahead of his Bay Shore effort.

Maximus Meridius breezed a half-mile in 47.90 Saturday at Parx.

“He had a great breeze yesterday and it went very well. He’s coming up to it in great shape,” Reid, Jr. said.

Maximus Meridius, out of the winning Quiet American mare Quiet Virtue, was bred in Pennsylvania by Westerly Farm.

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