Aqueduct Stakes Advances: Queens County, Alex M. Robb & $150K Gravesend

Posted On 19 Dec 2024

By Mary Eddy, Christian Abdo —-

Law Professor back in action in $150K Queens County

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – John Holleman’s graded stakes-winning millionaire Law Professor tops a competitive 11-horse field for the Listed $150,000 Queens County, a nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up, on Sunday, December 29 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Rob Atras, Law Professor will make his first start since October, and was scratched from the Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap presented by TwinSpires on December 7 in favor of this event.

“Time will tell if this was the right move,” Atras said, with a laugh. “The Cigar Mile was pretty salty and with this race being a mile and an eighth, hopefully we made the right decision.”

The 6-year-old Constitution gelding was last seen earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for a nose victory over multiple graded/group-placed Bendoog in a nine-furlong optional claiming tilt on October 25 here under returning rider Kendrick Carmouche, with the reopposing Tabeguache finishing another 1 1/4 lengths back in third.

The effort marked Law Professor’s first start since an off-the-board finish in the Lake Ouachita in May at Oaklawn Park during a brief tenure with trainer Wade Rarick.

“He really dug in to win off a long layoff and beat a nice horse like that,” Atras said. “It looked like we were going to go right by him and that horse fought, too, so I thought it was a real gutsy effort. Hopefully, we can build off of it. I don’t think the time between races is an issue for him.”

Law Professor has won 3-of-4 starts this year, including a dominant five-length trouncing of a local one-mile tilt in February that produced a 100 Beyer. Atras said the strong-minded Law Professor has found his best stride again since returning to his barn in early summer.

“He’s kind of a tricky horse to train and is very temperamental, but he really seemed to put it together going into his last race and showed it on the track,” Atras said.

Law Professor boasts a perfect in-the-money record of 7-5-1-1 at the Big A, including open-lengths wins in this event last January and the Listed Excelsior last April, as well as a strong second to Life Is Good in the 2022 Grade 1 Woodward.

“He seems to really like it there and he’s had some issues with different surfaces – even some issues in the paddock with nervousness and stuff like this, but whatever it is about Aqueduct, he likes it there,” Atras said, with a laugh. “We’ll just try to keep running him there.”

The dark bay’s consistent 24-9-2-3 record includes a win in the off-the-turf Grade 2 Mathis Mile in 2021 at Santa Anita Park when in the care of conditioner Michael McCarthy, as well as a stakes win on turf in the restricted Listed Tapit in September 2022 at Kentucky Downs.

Law Professor will emerge from post 7 in rein to Carmouche.

Steep opposition will be provided by Jeffrey Drown’s Tabeguache as he vies for his second career stakes score. Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the 4-year-old son of Into Mischief returned to the winner’s circle last out on November 24 with a determined nose victory over Winit in a one-mile optional claiming tilt.

Ridden by Hall of Famer Joel Rosario, Tabeguache stalked two lengths off the pace in fifth before steadily improving position throughout and looming in third with a five-wide bid in the turn. The bay colt dug in gamely in the final stages to run down his rival just in time and earn his first win since last August. The effort was awarded a 94 Beyer, one point lower than a career-best 95 he earned for his third to Law Professor in the aforementioned optional claimer.

“He finally broke through in New York and he’s one that has been a barn and rider favorite,” said Cox’s New York assistant Dustin Dugas. “He’s got a cool, nice stride to him and a good way of going. It was nice to see him win. He always gives good efforts but just seems to be second or third-best. He bounced out of his race in good shape and we’re excited for this one.”

Tabeguache’s last win came in the 2023 St. Louis Derby in August 2023 at Fanduel Sportsbook and Horse Racing, but the consistent colt has hit the board in 6-of-9 starts since, including a head defeat in a local nine-furlong optional claiming tilt in March and a narrow third in a similar event in May.

Dugas said Tabeguache continues to show he is a stakes-quality horse both with his victory last out and in his daily training.

“He won a stakes before and he looks like a stakes horse and trains like one, so we’ll see if he can do it again,” Dugas said.

Manny Franco rides from post 11.

FMQ Stables’ Masmak [post 1, Joel Rosario] looks to make it three in-a-row after a strong allowance victory against elders last out on November 10 here. The sophomore son of Vino Rosso graduated at fifth asking versus elders on October 5 over the local going and followed with his half-length score over Emirates Road to ace his first test against winners and earn a 96 Beyer. Both efforts came at a one-turn mile.

Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., both of the chestnut’s wins have come from off the pace, including his maiden win when making up nine lengths to score by a comfortable 1 1/4 lengths. Masmak made his first three outings for conditioner Brad Cox, including two attempts around two turns that resulted in off-the-board finishes.

While Masmak has done his best running from off-the-pace – including a strong debut for his conditioner when second in a seven-furlong sprint at Saratoga – Dutrow, Jr. said he expects the colt could show a new dimension when stretching back out around two turns.

“Going two turns, I’m really not expecting that [deep rally],” Dutrow, Jr. said. “I think he should be placed more forwardly naturally. I really don’t know his real good running style or his complete game yet. He ran good at a one-turn mile, and he ran big going seven-eighths at Saratoga, so we’re taking a big shot here.

“We could just go into a ‘two-other-than’ mile and we’d feel real confident about that, but if he isn’t up to this, we can always go back to the ‘two-other-than,’” Dutrow, Jr. continued. “Why not? He’s doing good and running over a track he’s done well over, so if we’re going to take a chance, we might as well do it on something he already likes.”

The $475,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase is out of the graded stakes-placed Harlan’s Holiday mare Nite in Rome, making him a half-brother to multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Three Technique.

Completing the field are dual graded stakes-winners Instant Coffee [post 2, Luis Rivera, Jr.] for trainer Chad Summers and near-millionaire Repo Rocks [post 6, Andrew Wolfsont] for trainer Jamie Ness; graded stakes-placed Film Star [post 9, Jose Lezcano] for trainer Linda Rice; multiple stakes-placed Quality Chic [post 5, Dylan Davis] for trainer Jason Cook; and allowance-winners Unlimitedpotential [post 8, Silvestre Gonzalez] for trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci, Phileas Fogg [post 4, Romero Maragh] for conditioner Gustavo Rodriguez, Curbstone [post 3, Madison Olver] for conditioner Tom Morley and the Panagiotis Synnefias-trained Surface to Air [post 10, Fernando Jara].

The Queens County is slated as Race 8 on the nine-race December 29 program, which marks Closing Day of the Aqueduct fall meet. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.

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El Grande O leads pair for Rice in $100K Alex M. Robb

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Barry Schwartz’s dual graded stakes-placed New York homebred El Grande O makes his return to stakes company in the $100,000 Alex M. Robb, a one-mile test for state-bred 3-year-olds and up on Saturday, December 28, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Linda Rice, the sophomore son of Take Charge Indy is 2-for-2 since making his return from a seven-month respite on October 24 here, annexing a 6 1/2-furlong allowance versus older open company by three-quarter-lengths over next-out winner Toxic Gray, who is entered in Saturday’s co-featured Listed $150,000 Gravesend.

He followed with another impressive showing at the same distance when earning a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure in a 1 1/4-length victory versus older open company again in a December 6 optional claiming tilt. Both victories came with Dylan Davis at the helm.

El Grande O makes his first stakes start since the Grade 3 Gotham in March here. He notched state-bred stakes victories as a juvenile here in the seven-furlong Bertram F. Bongard and one-mile Sleepy Hollow, and followed with placings in three local Kentucky Derby prep races in the Jerome and Gotham going one mile, and the Grade 3 Withers going nine furlongs.

Rice said she is looking forward to returning the talented colt to stakes competition.

“He’s doing very well and he’s run well enough at a mile and a mile and an eighth, so I’m not concerned about the distance. I think he’s going to be fine with that,” Rice said. “We were very pleased with the way he’s come back off the layoff and he certainly did not disappoint us in two starts back running against older horses. Now, we’ll see if we can move forward off of this.”

With the talent El Grande O has shown as a juvenile and early sophomore, Rice said the dark bay has improved even more after his respite.

“I think he’s developed and has moved forward. When he came back from the farm, he’s a type of horse that carries a lot of weight and always looks like he’s not quite fit. I gave him an extra month of training before we put him in a race, and I think that paid off,” Rice explained. “He got enough time between his two races and I was really pleased with that last effort. This is back a little quicker, but he does have two races under his belt and I think he’ll be just fine.”

Bred by Schwartz’s Stonewall Farm, El Grande O has banked $537,850 in total purse earnings through a 13-5-5-2 record. He will emerge from post 3 in rein to Davis.

Rice will also send out A. Bianco Holding Limited’s multiple stakes-placed Sheriff Bianco [post 8, Luis Rivera, Jr.] off a fifth last out in a local one-mile optional claimer versus open company on November 24.

The 6-year-old son of Speightster has placed in six stakes in his 37-start career, his best finish a 1 1/4-length defeat to Dr Ardito in the one-mile Evan Shipman Handicap last summer at Saratoga Race Course.

Sheriff Bianco, bred by SF Bloodstock, returned from a six-month respite in May and has made 5-of-8 starts since at sprint distances, including a good second to Rotknee in the six-furlong state-bred Affirmed Success in his first effort back off the layoff.

Rice said Sheriff Bianco is likely at his best at one mile.

“We’ll see if he can pick up a check for us,” Rice said. “His races might have been just a tick flat since [the layoff], but sometimes it’s not been the perfect distance. I think a mile is probably his best distance, so hopefully he’ll give a nice run.”

LSU Stables’ Bank Frenzy [post 7, Manny Franco] earned back-to-back 97 Beyers for his past two outings, including a win last out in a one-mile open-company optional claimer on November 23 here.

Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, the consistent Central Banker 4-year-old gelding pounced from last-of-6 under returning rider Manny Franco after breaking inward at the start and running five-wide down the backstretch. He came under coaxing in the turn and responded well to inch clear in the stretch and notch the win by 3 3/4 lengths over Seeking Unity.

“He ran a very good race and he didn’t break that good. The horse is running very good,” Rodriguez said. “He’s very consistent and he doesn’t run a bad race. I wish he could break a little better. We’ve got an extension blinker on him and I don’t think it makes him break as sharp as it usually does, but hopefully he keeps getting better. He’s a bit of a challenging horse because everything has to be his way, but he’s a nice horse.”

Bank Frenzy was compromised at the start of the nine-furlong state-bred Empire Classic two starts back on October 27 here, and bumped with a rival before being squeezed and settling in seventh-of-9 behind the pace set by the Jimmy Ferraro-trained Mama’s Gold. Bank Frenzy was 8 1/2 lengths back at the half-mile call and made up ground strongly under Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the latter stages, but could not reel in Mama’s Gold, who exited to win strongly again on December 12 here.

Rodriguez said he was pleased with the effort from Bank Frenzy, who has won impressively both from well off the pace and as the pacesetter.

“He’s a very useful horse and I would like to see him come from behind, but when you break good and you’re comfortable on the lead, that’s a very dangerous weapon and you’ve got to go,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t know if we could have beaten Jimmy’s horse that day, but we kind of made a big move and lost a lot of ground and could have been closer.”

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Bank Frenzy looks to add to a 1 1/4-length score in the state-bred Evan Shipman Handicap in August at the Spa where he made his first start for Rodriguez after his first nine outings came with conditioner Lisa Lewis. He holds a 13-5-5-0 record with $369,170 in total purse earnings.

Completing the field are stakes-winners Whittington Park [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche] for trainer Jeremiah Englehart and Doc Sullivan [post 5, Jose Lezcano] for trainer Michael Miceli; the pair of stakes-winner Neural Network [post 4, Silvestre Gonzalez] and stakes-placed Olympic Dreams [post 6, Sahin Civaci] for trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci; and eight-time winner Colloquy [post 1, Eric Cancel] for conditioner Jorge Abreu.

The Alex M. Robb is slated as Race 8 on the nine-race December 28 card, which also features the Listed $150,000 Gravesend in Race 3. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.

Toxic Gray looks dangerous in Listed $150K Gravesend

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Christopher A. Borducci’s Toxic Gray steps into stakes company for the first time and is a dangerous contender in the Listed $150,000 Gravesend, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, on Saturday, December 28, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Michael Miceli, the 4-year-old Verrazano gray enters from a pacesetting 3 1/2-length allowance score over next Saturday’s course and distance on November 16. He was hustled to the front by returning rider Jose Lezcano and turned away the bid of reopposing Tivy in the final furlong to stop the clock in 1:10 flat.

The performance earned a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure, improving upon a previous best of 93 earned in his prior start when defeated three-quarter-lengths by dual Grade 3-placed and co-featured $100,000 Alex M. Robb-entrant El Grande O when setting the pace in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance on October 24 here.

“Before, he used to generally come from off the pace,” said Miceli. “He wasn’t one to come from way back, but he would sit off the lead a little bit and make a run at them. Two starts ago, he broke in front and Lezcano took advantage of it. It looks like a new avenue for him but it works well.”

Toxic Gray [post 5, Jose Lezcano] debuted for trainer Nestor Cascallares in December 2022 at Tampa Bay Downs before Miceli saddled him to a second-out graduation the following February and an optional-claiming win that March – both sprinting six furlongs at the Big A.

Toxic Gray returned from an over one-year layoff after the pair of early sophomore scores with a trio of starts for trainer Edward Plesa, Jr. this spring at Gulfstream Park. He made his first start back with Miceli when off the board in July at the Big A ahead of a misfire when trying turf for the first time in September here.

“He was a horse that had some issues and we had to give him some time. We gave him plenty of time and then he wound up in South Florida. After he ran a few times there, the owner decided to send him back to New York,” said Miceli. “He is by Verrazano and the dam ran on turf, I figured let me get trying turf out of the way in September and he ran subpar.

“We ran him back on dirt and he was second, then he ran that bang up race and won,” Miceli continued.

Bred in Kentucky by Carolyn Vogel, Toxic Gray, a $13,000 purchase at the 2021 OBS October Yearling Sale, is out of the Speightstown mare Reggae Song, making his second dam stakes-winner Queen of Song.

LC Racing, Cash is King and Wellesley Stable’s Maximus Meridius [post 4, John Velazquez] finished second last out in the six-furlong Steel Valley Sprint on November 25 at Mahoning Valley Race Course for trainer Butch Reid, Jr., who sits at 991 career wins as of December 18.

The sophomore Maximus Mischief gelding stalked the pace in fifth position after exiting the inside post, before angling out late to land 1 1/4 lengths back of Valentine Candy, who got the jump on him in the stretch.

“He had a little bit of a tough trip. He was blocked through the lane and then finished up real strong,” Reid, Jr. said. “He was kind of stuck on the rail most of the trip and made his way out in the lane to finish well. We were happy with that effort. We decided to go ahead and take a shot in the Gravesend.”

The runner-up finish earned a career-best 95 Beyer – marking his third consecutive 90 plus figure after a fourth in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob and an optional claiming win, both six-furlong races at Parx Racing.

“The horse has just been getting better and better. We’re learning about him, too – he likes a little something to run at,” said Reid, Jr. “He has a lot of natural speed so he was getting on the lead in some of his earlier races, but he was hanging and waiting on horses. We’ve learned you are better off sitting off a little bit, he likes making a run with a target in front of him.”

Maximus Meridius also finished second in a pair of local Listed sprints, including the Bay Shore in April and Gold Fever in May. He looks for his first stakes win in his 13th career start, also finishing second in the Salvatore M. DeBunda Sprint in August at Parx.

Michael Dubb’s graded stakes-placed Top Gunner [post 6, Manny Franco] enters from a third last out in the six-furlong Listed Fall Highweight on November 29 here. Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the 7-year-old Into Mischief gelding won the Parx Sprint in September at its namesake course ahead of a fifth when pressing the pace in the local Grade 3 Bold Ruler in October here.

“He’s got some back class, and it was nice for him to jump up and get the stakes win at Parx. He threw in a clunker in the race after with an out-of-his-element type of race going to the lead like that, but it was good to see him bounce back off of that,” said Cox’s New York assistant Dustin Dugas. “He bounced out of his last race in really good shape and threw in a good race there.”

Top Gunner, who was haltered for $62,500 out of a third-place effort in August at the Spa, boasts a record of 32-7-5-9 with $616,979 in earnings. His career highlights include a third in the 2022 Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland and a win that year in the restricted St. Matthews Overnight at Churchill Downs.

Karen A. Zimmerman’s Runninsonofagun [post 3, Joel Rosario] was second last out, defeated three-quarter-lengths by Giant Mischief in the Fall Highweight, but 3 1/2 lengths in front of the aforementioned Top Gunner in third. Trained by John Toscano, Jr., the 5-year-old Gun Runner gelding attended the pace while carrying a co-field high 133 pounds.

Runninsonofagun, who was third in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga Race Course as a sophomore, captured the Grade 3 Bold Ruler via disqualification on October 26 here – marking the second time he won the event after also winning the 2022 edition.

Bred in Kentucky by Dattt Farm, Runninsonofagun, out of the dual stakes-placed Malibu Moon mare Golden Artemis, is a half-brother to Grade 1-winner My Conquestadory.

Jay Em Ess Stable’s Grade 3-placed Kentucky homebred Full Moon Madness [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche] is 2-for-2 this year with a last-out head score in a local six-furlong optional claimer on November 24. Trained by Michelle Nevin, the 4-year-old Into Mischief gelding was racing for the first time since a 4 1/2-length allowance score in January here – both wins coming over the Gravesend course and distance.

Full Moon Madness was a close second in the Grade 3 Nashua as a juvenile at the Big A and was a well-regarded prospect out of multiple graded stakes-winner By the Moon. By the Moon was campaigned by Nevin and Jay Em Ess Stable to Grade 1 wins in the 2017 Ballerina at Saratoga Race Course and 2014 Frizette at Belmont Park.

Rounding out the field are dual Grade 3-placed Twenty Four Mamba [post 7, Dylan Davis] for trainer Charlton Baker; and two-time winner Tivy [post 1, Romero Maragh] for trainer Jena Antonucci, who holds a 16-for-21 on-the-board record and looks to avenge the aforementioned last-out defeat to Toxic Gray.

The Gravesend is slated as Race 3 on the nine-race card on Saturday, December 28, which also features the $100,000 Alex M. Robb in Race 8. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.