New York-Breds at the Races: April 14 to 20

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1 New York-Breds at the Races: April 14 to 20 By Bill Heller New Claim John Eddie Breaks His Maiden in Style Wednesday Martin Harrigan s new claim, the three-year-old gelding John Eddie, made his first start for new trainer Gary Contessa a winning one Wednesday at Aqueduct. Contessa took off John Eddie s blinkers, but he still showed good early speed under Gary Richards, streaking to the lead on the way to a seven-length romp in a 6 ½-furlong $31,000 New York-bred maiden $25,000 claimer in a final time of 1: Pine Ridge Farm bred John Eddie, a son of Bustin Stones out of Wahoo Cat by Solo who sold for $45,000 as a yearling in October In his debut for trainer Mike Mareina in a maiden special weight on February 20 th, John Eddie finished a tiring fifth under Eric Cancel. Dropped into a maiden $40,000 claimer on March 17 th, John Eddie raced on the lead before tiring to finish a distant third under Kendrick Carmouche as the 4-5 favorite when he was claimed. Breaking sharply from the six post Wednesday, John Eddie outsprinted Kiner s Korner, the 9-5 new-gelding favorite on the rail who was adding blinkers under Jose Ortiz, to lead by a length through a :23.88 first quarter-mile. John Eddie stretched his lead to two lengths through a :47.36 half-mile, then opened up on the field. He won by himself. Starago, the 2-1 second choice under Kendrick Carmouche, rallied to finish second, 2 ¼ lengths clear of Kiner s Korner in third. Caelifera, who was adding blinkers and went off at 3-1 odds under Manuel Franco, finished fourth, a length and a quarter behind Kiner s Korner. John Eddie now has a victory and a third from three starts, for earnings of more than $20,000. In another 6 ½-furlong $31,000 New York-bred maiden $25,000 claimer Wednesday, Walter Vieser II s four-year-old gelding Field Sense, who d lost photo finishes in his two prior starts, rallied from far back under Kendrick Carmouche to win by 2 ½ lengths at 5-2 odds in a final time of 1: Donald Barr trains Field Sense, a son of Grand Slam out of Honestly Honey by Irish Open who was bred by Big Z Thoroughbreds and sold for $13,000 as a yearling in On March 19 th at Laurel Park in open maiden $16,000 claiming company, he finished second by a neck. At Aqueduct on April 6 th, Field Sense finished second by a nose in a New York-bred maiden $25,000 claimer.

2 Riding Field Sense for the first time, Carmouche let him settle in sixth in the field of nine as 9-1 Cats Landing and Manuel Franco set the pace. Cats Landing led by a length and a half through a :23.54 first quarter, then by two lengths after hitting the half-mile in : By then, Field Sense had rallied into third as he took dead aim at the frontrunner. Field Sense stormed past Cats Landing and won handily. Buckwellspent, who was adding blinkers and went off at 9-2 odds under Jose Ortiz, nipped Blarney Stone, the 7-5 favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., by a head for second. Cats Landing was another two lengths back in fourth. Field Sense is now one for 14 with two seconds, two thirds and earnings of more than $40,000. Bromans Homebred Bag of Tricks Wins Second Straight Easily Sunday With utter disdain for her five opponents, Chester and Mary Broman s homebred three-year-old filly Bag of Tricks won her second straight race by 7 ¼ lengths under Junior Alvarado in hand Sunday at Aqueduct. Sent off the 3-5 favorite from the outside post, she won a 6 ½-furlong $62,000 New York-bred allowance in a final time of 1: John Kimmel trains Bag of Tricks, a daughter of Bernardini out of Wouldthisbemagic by Clever Trick who appears poised to become the latest homebred star for the Bromans. In her only race as a two-year-old last July, she finished a distant third. She didn t return to the races until March 13 th, when she won a maiden special weight by three lengths under Irad Ortiz, Jr. Bag of Tricks broke sharply, but so did three horses inside her: 9-2 Fashion Street, 13-1 Saluda and 7-1 Nonna Jo. Fashion Street and Nonna Jo took back as Saluda led Bag of Tricks by a head through a :22.96 opening quarter-mile. Bag of Tricks then took over powerfully, leading by a length and a half after a half-mile in : Alvarado let her roll and she drew away from the field with authority, even though Alvarado never asked her for her best. She cruised home alone under the wire. Paradise Peak, who went off at 12-1 odds with Cornelio Velasquez aboard, rallied from last to finish a clear second, 2 ¼ lengths in front of 9-2 Wisdom of Oz, who was adding blinkers under Jose Ortiz. There was a gap of 2 ½ lengths back to Fashion Street and Chris DeCarlo. In just three starts, Bag of Tricks has earned more than $80,000. Breaking sharply from the rail under Jose Ortiz, Sackatoga Stable s four-year-old filly Flattermefabulous took a field of 11 wire-to-wire, winning a mile-and-a-sixteenth $60,000 New York-bred maiden special weight on the grass by a half-length as the 6-5 favorite. First-time starter Tizzelle, who went off at 13-1 odds under Kendrick Carmouche, edged 12-1 Naked Empress and Cornelio Velasquez by a neck for second. Another firster, 7-2 Laurel Heights, finished fourth, 2 ¼ lengths behind Naked Empress, from the 10 post under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

3 Barclay Tagg trains Flattermefabulous, a lightly raced daughter of Flatter out of As Promised by Century City (IRE) who was bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski and Harry Patton. Flattermefabulous was making just her third start. She made her debut as a two-year-old at Saratoga on dirt in 2014, finishing sixth. After missing all of her three-year-old season, she resurfaced in a mile-and-an-eighth open maiden special weight on the grass at Gulfstream Park with blinkers added on February 28 th. Ridden by Paco Lopez, she was a front-running second by three-quarters of a length at 3-1 odds. Bettors tattooed her Sunday at Aqueduct and she didn t disappoint thanks to a fine front-end ride by Ortiz, who was aboard Flattermefabulous for the first time. She immediately opened a twolength lead and maintained a clear advantage through splits of :24.92, :50.71 and 1: She was up by 2 ½ lengths in mid-stretch and held off the closers despite tiring late. Flattermefabulous now has a win and a second from two turf starts, for earnings of over $40,000. Splitting horses decisively in mid-stretch under Samuel Camacho, Jr., Rudina Stable s threeyear-old gelding Sharpie s Dream powered to a length-and-three-quarter victory at 21-1 odds in a $60,000 New York-bred maiden special weight, covering the 6 ½ furlongs in 1: It was Camacho s second longshot victory Sunday; he also took the day s opener with 18-1 Tree Shaker. Sharpie s Dream is a son of Wild Desert out of Aunt Mariah by Housebuster who was bred by Owen Kiernan and is trained by Jim Ferraro. Sharpie s Dream was making just his third career start after finishing a front-running third and a badly tiring fifth in his first two races. Camacho settled Sharpie s Dream in third as 6-1 Bedside Blues and Junior Alvarado, who broke from the outside post in the field of eight, took a tenuous lead on the outside of 33-1 Prince Ray and Cornelio Velasquez. Bedside Blues led Prince Ray by a head through a :23.13 first quarter, then by just a nose after a half-mile in : By then, 4-1 Gorelli and Kendrick Carmouche had rushed up three-wide to join the leaders. Prince Ray put away Bedside Blues as Gorelli advanced into second on the outside. Then Sharpie s Dream split the two horses with authority, streaking to the lead and drawing away. Gorelli finished second, a length clear of Wine Not, the even-money favorite under Manuel Franco, in third. Prince Ray salvaged fourth, 3 ¼ lengths behind Wine Not. Sharpie s Dream now has a win and a third from just three starts, for earnings of more than $40,000.

4 Backing up his 1-5 odds, JJ Schwartz Racing s gray five-year-old gelding Geaux Mets survived an intense speed duel with another gray, The Big Deluxe, and went on to a two-length victory from the rail under Irad Ortiz, Jr. in a $47,000 New York-bred $25,000 claimer Sunday. He completed the six-furlong distance in a sparkling 1: Pegasus Red, who was sent off at odds of 12-1 under Irad s brother Jose, rallied to finish second, 3 ¾ lengths ahead of 6-1 American Creed and Cornelio Velasquez. Saturday Appeal, the 40-1 longshot in the field of seven under Jackie Davis, rallied to be a distant fourth. This was an accomplished group of New York-bred claimers: all seven horses had already earned more than $150,000, and six of them topped $200,000 in earnings. Geaux Mets is a son of Posse out of Back Bay Lady by A.P. Jet who was bred by Catherine Flanagan. He was claimed for $40,000 last November 11 th by JJ Schwartz Racing and trainer Rudy Rodriguez, when he finished third to The Big Deluxe. He finished second, first, second and third in his first four starts for his current connections. Taking advantage of the rail, Geaux Mets fired out of the starting gate, as did The Big Deluxe, who went off at 9-2 odds from the five post with Eric Cancel aboard. The Big Deluxe led Geaux Mets by a head after an opening quarter-mile in :22.75, then by a neck through a half in : When The Big Deluxe tired, Pegasus Red, who had been fourth, rallied three-wide into second and went after the favorite. But Geaux Mets had enough left to spurt clear once again for the victory. Geaux Mets victory was his eighth in 23 starts. He also has two seconds, five thirds and more than $315,000 in earnings. More Zen Tea Draws Away Late to Win an Allowance Race Saturday Christopher Dunn and Fortune Farm s eight-year-old gelding More Zen Tea rallied strongly under Kendrick Carmouche to take a seven-furlong $65,000 New York-bred allowance/optional $40,000 claimer by two lengths Saturday at Aqueduct. Sent off at 4-1 odds in the field of eight, More Zen Tea won in a final time of 1: Adam Madkour bred More Zen Tea, a son of Roaring Fever out of Lady Di Huntley by Shuailaan who is trained by Jeremiah Englehart. More Zen Tea had finished in the money in five straight heading into Saturday. He settled in fourth as 7-2 Uncharted Course set the pace while pressured by 6-1 True Bet. Uncharted Course led True Bet by less than a length through a quarter in :23.03 and a half-mile in : True Bet got within a head of the frontrunner before Uncharted Course spurted clear and More Zen Tea rallied into second after three-quarters in 1: More Zen Tea collared Uncharted Course inside the sixteenth pole and won by himself. Uncharted Course held on for second, a neck in front of Beyond the Green, the modest 3-1 favorite under Junior Alvarado.

5 Vincento, who was sent off at odds of 6-1 under Gabriel Saez, was another length and a half back in fourth. More Zen Tea is now nine for 26 on dirt with nine seconds and five thirds. He s also adept on turf, with two wins, four seconds and three thirds in 18 races, for combined earnings of more than $320,000. In a thrilling finish Saturday, Junior Alvarado got DATTT Stable s homebred four-year-old gray filly Flatware up in the final strides to edge Miss Kew and Jose Ortiz by a neck in a $62,000 New York-bred allowance/optional $75,000 grass claimer, completing the one-mile distance in 1: Tapa Liath and Gabriel Saez were only three-quarters of a length behind Miss Kew in third. Flatware and Tapa Liath were both sent off at odds of 9-5, with Tapa Liath a slight favorite. Miss Kew went off at 5-2 odds in the field of five. Mark Hennig trains the well-named Flatware, a daughter of Flatter out of Culinary by El Amante who was freshened after failing to finish in a $100,000 New York-bred dirt stakes with blinkers added on January 31 st at 21-1 odds. She had two sharp four-furlong dirt works for the drop into allowance company and return to turf. Flatware was fourth early as Swayed, who went off at 5-1 odds under John Bisono, maintained a short lead on Tapa Liath through a quarter-mile in :25.28 and a half-mile in : Then Tapa Liath and Miss Kew, racing two- and three-wide, respectively, roared past the frontrunner after three-quarters in 1: Tapa Liath led briefly before Miss Kew took over and Flatware, who had been fourth in midstretch, quickly rallied into contention. Miss Kew was game, but couldn t hold off Flatware, who made the lead just before the finish line. Flatware is now two for three on grass with one third. She also has one third from five dirt races, for total earnings of over $95,000. Challenged every step of the way, Drawing Away Stable s new claim Bustin the Bank, a fouryear-old gelding who was well-ridden by Jose Ortiz, won a six-furlong $62,000 New York-bred allowance wire-to-wire by a length and a quarter as the 1-2 favorite in a field of six. Bustin the Bank is a son of Bustin Stones out of Jumpin Jacqueline by Mr. Sinatra who was bred by Luck be a Lady LCC and is now trained by John Toscano, Jr. Drawing Away Stable claimed Bustin the Bank for $25,000 when he finished second by a head on April 6 th. Breaking from the two post Saturday, Bustin the Bank went for the lead, as did the horse breaking outside him, Yakov, who went off at 9-2 odds under Kendrick Carmouche. Bustin the Bank led Yakov by just a head through a first quarter in :22.86 and a half-mile in : When

6 Yakov tired, 12-1 Down Town Kitty, who was adding Lasix and blinkers under Samuel Camacho, Jr., took up the chase. Then 14-1 Dr Luber s Kiss, who was also adding blinkers under Eric Cancel, finally found room after stalling on the rail. Private Thrill, who was sent off at odds of 3-1 from the rail with Cornelio Velasquez aboard, also rallied strongly. Bustin the Bank gamely held them all off, winning in a final time of 1: Dr Luber s Kiss finished second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Private Thrill. Yakov was just another head back in fourth. Bustin the Bank improved his record to three for 14 with three seconds, three thirds and earnings of more than $125,000. As if making his debut in a turf route wasn t difficult enough, Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence s three-year-old gelding Call Provision made it even more challenging by hopping at the start under Jose Ortiz. It didn t matter. Racing far back in next-to-last most of the way, Call Provision passed horses on the hedge, angled out to the far outside and ran down Cloontia, the 4-5 favorite under Junior Alvarado, to win a mile-and-a-sixteenth $60,000 New York-bred maiden special weight by a length. Sent off at 2-1 odds in the field of eight, Call Provision won in a final time of 1: KatieRich Farms bred Call Provision, a son of Lemon Drop Kid out of Run In by Dynaformer who sold for $140,000 as a yearling at Saratoga in August Trainer Chad Brown gave Call Provision 10 works, all at Palm Meadows, for his debut. Bettors in New York liked what they saw, making Call Provision the second choice. But his start couldn t have been much worse. When the gates opened, Call Provision hopped. Ortiz let him find his stride and he moved into seventh, far off the pace set by Cloontia. Cloontia held a clear lead through a quarter in :23.71, a half-mile in :48.01 and three-quarters in 1: By then, Call Provision began passing horses on the hedge before swinging to the far outside. Cloontia still led by two lengths in mid-stretch before Call Provision came charging into contention, causing announcer Larry Collmus to exclaim, Oh, look at Call Position flying down the center of the course! Indeed, Call Provision flew past the favorite to win going away. Cloontia held second, a length and a quarter ahead of 20-1 Pinnacle Mountain. Analyze Dattt, who was sent off at odds of 12-1 under Aaron Gryder, finished fourth, nearly five lengths behind Pinnacle Mountain. In Saturday s finale, a one-mile $47,000 open $25,000 claimer on grass, Three Diamonds Farm s idle five-year-old New York-bred gelding All Over Me ran down front-running New York-bred Wildniteattheopera in deep stretch, then held off China Prince by a neck to win under Jose

7 Ortiz in a final time of 1: Wildniteattheopera was just a neck behind China Prince in third. Another New York-bred, Foxhall Drive, was another neck back in fourth. All Over Me was sent off at odds of 4-1, Wildniteattheopera went off at 11-1 odds, China Prince was 8-1 and Foxhall Drive was 6-1. Mike Maker trains All Over Me, a son of Harlan s Holiday out of Leawood by Cape Canaveral who was bred by Donald Brooks. All Over Me hadn t raced since November 8 th, when he finished a front-running fourth in a longer grass route at 8-1 odds under Manuel Franco. Ortiz settled All Over Me in mid-pack as Kendrick Carmouche committed Wildniteattheopera to the lead from the rail. He led 66-1 Buckleberry Grey through a half-mile in : Wildniteattheopera then shook loose, opening a 2 ½-length lead after three-quarters in 1: Then All Over Me and China Prince made their final move. In a blanket three-horse photo finish, All Over Me prevailed. All Over Me is now five for 15 on grass with three thirds. He also has two seconds from seven dirt starts, for total earnings of nearly $150,000. Uninjured Dylan Davis Rallies Taoiseach to 7-1 Allowance Upset Friday Escaping serious injury when his horse in the second race, Don t Point, tossed him to the ground, Dylan Davis returned three races later to rally Blue Sapphire Farm s colt Taoiseach, with blinkers added, past odds-on Bluegrass Prevails to win a seven-furlong $62,000 New York-bred allowance/optional $75,000 claimer by three-quarters of a length Friday at Aqueduct. Taoiseach was sent off at odds of 7-1, and Bluegrass Prevails was the 1-5 favorite on the rail under Jose Ortiz in the field of six. Niall Brennan bred Taoiseach (pronounced tee-shuck ), a son of Dublin out of Sister Marette by Cuvee who was bought for $4,000 as a two-year-old a year ago and is trained by Jim Ryerson. Taoiseach was last early as Bluegrass Prevails, who won his prior start by nine lengths at even money, set the pace while under pressure from 9-2 Gehrig and Kendrick Carmouche. Bluegrass Prevails led Gehrig by a half-length through a :23.04 first quarter, then by just a head after a halfmile in : By then, Taoiseach had rallied into third. Bluegrass Prevails finally shook off Gehrig to take a two-length lead over Taoiseach, who quickly closed ground. Bluegrass Prevails was game, but Taoiseach surged past him in deep stretch to win a final time of 1: Bluegrass Prevails finished second, nearly two lengths ahead of 28-1 Guyana Cat and Samuel Camacho, Jr. Gehrig was another length and a half back in fourth.

8 Taoiseach improved his dirt record to three for eight with one second, two thirds and earnings of more than $125,000. My Purple Haze Stable s five-year-old mare Unrepented dueled for the early lead under Manuel Franco, fell back to fourth around the far turn, and then split horses decisively to win a sixfurlong $47,000 New York-bred $25,000 claimer by a neck over Run a Dubb Dubb. Champagne Ruby was just a half-length back in third, and Keep Bustin finished another 2 ¾ lengths back in fourth. Unrepented was sent off at odds of 10-1 while Run a Dubb, Champagne Ruby and Keep Bustin all went off at 2-1 odds in the field of six, with Keep Bustin the slightest of favorites. Chris Englehart trains Unrepented, a daughter of Repent out of Nobody But Me by Trust N Luck who was a solid third at 12-1 odds in her last start with Franco aboard. Breaking from the two post Friday, Unrepented went for the early lead but was joined immediately by 14-1 Sonora and Jackie Davis two-wide, and Champagne Ruby and Irad Ortiz, Jr. three-wide. Keep Bustin and Jose Ortiz raced two lengths behind the three dueling frontrunners through a quick opening quarter in : Heading into the far turn, both Champagne Ruby and Sonora passed Unrepented as Keep Bustin took over third from Unrepented. But Unrepented wasn t done. After Champagne Ruby gained the lead and Run a Dubb Dubb and Cornelio Velasquez rallied on the far outside into second after a half-mile in :46.03, Unrepented split the two horses. Unrepented then gamely prevailed over Run a Dubb Dubb on her outside and Champagne Ruby on her inside. Unrepented improved her dirt record to seven for 23 with five seconds and three thirds. She has also raced four times on turf, and has total earnings of more than $160,000. In another six-furlong $47,000 New York-bred $25,000 claimer, trainer/co-owner Rudy Rodriguez, Michael Imperio, Andrew Gurdon and Gabrielle Farm s four-year-old filly Majestic Jessica coasted to a 4 ¼-length, gate-to-wire victory on the rail as the 7-5 favorite under Junior Alvarado in a field of six. Majestic Jessica is a daughter of Roaring Fever out of Majestic Risk by More Than Ready who was bred by Dutchess Views Farm. Rodriguez and his partners claimed Majestic Jessica for $25,000 when she won by five lengths on January 17 th. In her first start for her new connections 2 ½ months later in a New York-bred allowance/optional $40,000 claimer, she finished fourth as the 9-5 favorite.

9 A drop in company was all bettors needed to make her an even bigger favorite Friday, and she didn t disappoint. Streaking to the lead immediately on the rail, she set a fast pace a quarter in :22.24 and a half-mile in :45.10 and led by five at the top of the stretch. She never had an anxious moment, winning by herself in a final time of 1: Qiubbler, a 38-1 longshot under Samuel Camacho, Jr., rallied to finish second, 2 ¼ lengths clear of 5-1 Touching My Toes. Blind Devotion was another four lengths back in fourth. Majestic Jessica is now four for 18 on dirt with one second and three thirds. She s also raced once on grass and has total earnings of just under $170,000. In Friday s finale, a one-mile $41,000 New York-bred maiden $40,000 claimer on the grass, Peter Deutsch s four-year-old gelding Summer True, a first-time starter trained by Christophe Clement, rallied on the far outside on the far turn to a length-and-a-quarter victory, giving jockey Jose Ortiz his fourth winner of the day. Sent off the 2-1 favorite in a field of 10, Summer True won in a final time of 1: Dixie Farm bred Summer True, a son of Yes It s True out of Free as Tristan by Crafty Friend who sold for $200,000 as a yearling at Saratoga in August Summer True tipped his performance with consecutive bullet dirt works. Ortiz got him away fourth as Courageous Colonel, who was sent off at odds of 8-1 under Dylan Davis, set the pace while chased by 14-1 Cuckoo s Saloon and 11-1 Scarselletta through a quarter in :24.24 and a half-mile in : Courageous Colonel led Cuckoo s Saloon by just a half-length as Summer True rushed up on the far outside to join them around the far turn. After hitting three-quarters in 1:13.42, both Cuckoo s Saloon and Summer True passed the frontrunner. Summer True prevailed. Cuckoo s Saloon, ridden by Manuel Franco, finished a clear second, almost six lengths ahead of Courageous Colonel in third. Par finished fourth, another length back, at 4-1 odds. There was a steward s inquiry and a trainer s objection from Rick Violette, whose 12-1 shot from the 10 post, Foggy Mountain Cat, ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., was carried wide around the first turn. The stewards let the original order of finish stand. Jules N Rome Dominates Open Allowance Company Thursday Looking like a runaway silver train, Midwest Thoroughbreds four-year-old New York-bred filly Jules N Rome humbled four opponents Thursday at Aqueduct, scoring coast-to-coast by 2 ½ lengths under Kendrick Carmouche as the 4-5 favorite in a one-mile $75,000 allowance/optional $62,500 claimer. Jules N Rome never had an anxious moment, winning in a final time of 1:36.72.

10 Harry Landry, Constancia Farm and Dunkirk Syndicate bred the talented Jules N Rome, a daughter of Dunkirk out of Pretty Honoree by Double Honor who sold for $77,000 as a yearling in October Midwest Thoroughbreds and trainer Danny Gargan claimed Jules N Rome for $40,000 when she finished second at 3-5 odds in a New York-bred claimer on December 11 th. In her first two starts for her new connections, Jules N Rome won and finished a close second. Breaking sharply from the four post, Jules N Rome was quickly clear, leading by a length and a half through a :22.96 first quarter-mile. She stretched her advantage to five lengths by running a half-mile in : Carmouche kept her in cruise control, and she still led by four lengths after three-quarters in a quick 1: She was under no pressure to the wire. Milaya, the 2-1 second choice under Irad Ortiz, Jr., finished second, a length and three-quarters clear of Dickinson, who went off at 8-1 odds under Manuel Franco. New York-bred Prairie Stone, who went off at 7-1 odds from the rail under Jose Ortiz, finished fourth, a little more than a length behind Dickinson. Jules N Rome improved her excellent dirt record to six for 13 with five seconds. She s also raced twice on turf and has earned more than $300,000. After nearly falling on his face coming out of the starting gate, August Dawn Farm s idle threeyear-old colt Hit It Once More powered to a 4 ½-length victory under Jose Ortiz. Making his first start since November 28 th, Hit It Once More won a one-mile $60,000 New York-bred maiden special weight in a final time of 1:38.61 as the 5-2 second choice in a field of eight. Super Psyche, the even-money favorite under Junior Alvarado, edged front-running 10-1 Feets of Strength and Mike Luzzi by a neck for second. Mascarello, who went off at 9-1 odds under Eric Cancel, was another length back in fourth. Hit It Once More is a son of Hard Spun out of Sunday Geisha by Sunday Break who was bred by JMJ Racing Stables and was purchased for $90,000 as a two-year-old last May. Trained by Gary Sciacca, Hit It Once More finished in the money in three of his five starts last year without winning any. In those three races, he raced on the lead or close to the pace. He couldn t have had a worse start Thursday, stumbling badly coming out of the starting gate. Ortiz, who had never ridden Hit It Once More before, never panicked. He let Hit It Once More settle into stride, then began a long, sustained rally. Up front, Feets of Strength set the pace while pressured on the outside by Super Psyche, who had finished second in three straight. Feets of Strength led Super Psyche by a neck through a :24.46 opening quarter-mile. He stretched the lead to three-quarters of a length as Hit It Once More rallied three-wide into sixth through a :49.39 half-mile.

11 Super Psyche got within a neck of Feets of Strength as Hit It Once More continued to gain threewide after three-quarters in 1: Hit It Once More blew past both frontrunners and opened up quickly inside the sixteenth pole, winning by himself. Hit It Once More now has a win, a second and a pair of thirds from six starts, for earnings topping $60,000. Well-ridden by Junior Alvarado, Paradise Farms Corp. s three-year-old filly Free N Clear made her turf debut a winning one Thursday. Wearing down front-running Pussy Willow in midstretch, Free N Clear won a mile-and-a-sixteenth $41,000 New York-bred maiden $40,000 claimer by nearly two lengths in a final time of 1: Free N Clear was sent off at odds of 7-1 and Pussy Willow went off at 9-2 odds from the extreme outside post in a field of 12. Blueflight LLC bred Free N Clear, a daughter of Bluegrass Cat out of Mama I m Home by Wheaton. Paradise Farms Corp. and trainer Pat Quick claimed Free N Clear for $25,000 when she finished a distant fifth under Jaime Rodriguez on February 15 th. Quick added blinkers and switched jockeys to Alvarado, and she finished a game front-running second by a nose on dirt on March 20 th. Leaving from the three post, Free N Clear advanced into second early as Irad Ortiz, Jr. did an excellent job with Pussy Willow, getting her away in front with a clear lead from the 12 post well before the clubhouse turn. Pussy Willow and Free N Clear raced 1-2 for almost a mile. Pussy Willow nursed a two- to two-and-a-half-length lead through a quarter in :24.19, a half mile in :49.91 and three-quarters in 1: Then Alvarado asked Free N Clear for more, and she got within a length of the front-runner in early stretch. Free N Clear kept making progress, then struck the front and drew away late. Pussy Willow was a clear second, 3 ½ lengths ahead of 18-1 Fly Ash and Manuel Franco in third. Weekend Hottie, who went off at 4-1 odds from the rail under Kendrick Carmouche, finished fourth, just a neck behind Weekend Hottie. Now one for one on turf, Free N Clear has two seconds from three dirt starts, for combined earnings of just under $40,000. William Parsons, Jr. and David Howe s four-year-old homebred filly Summersault split horses decisively under Junior Alvarado in mid-stretch and then ran down odds-on Jc s Shooting Star to win a mile-and-a-sixteenth $65,000 New York-bred grass allowance/optional $40,000 claimer

12 by a half-length Thursday at Aqueduct. Sent off at 4-1 odds in the field of six, Summersault won in a final time of 1: Jc s Shooting Star, the 4-5 favorite on the rail under Manuel Franco, finished second, nearly three lengths clear of 9-2 Lady Bling in third. Bi Light of Day, who was sent off at odds of 35-1 under Eric Cancel, was a distant fourth. Summersault is a daughter of Rock Hard Ten out of Saratoga Summer by Smart Strike who was freshened by trainer Mark Hennig after her four-year-old debut, when she finished ninth at 39-1 odds in an open grass allowance at Gulfstream Park on February 28 th. Dropping into New York-bred company Thursday, she went off as the second favorite from the two post. Summersault got away third as 9-1 Take It Inside and Kendrick Carmouche set the pace, with Jc s Shooting Star second through a quarter in :25.45 and a half-mile in : Jc s Shooting Star drew within a head of the front-runner around the far turn as 9-2 Lady Bling and Irad Ortiz, Jr. rushed up three-wide to join them. Alvarado had Summersault right there on the hedge in fourth. After three-quarters in 1:14.13, Take It Inside tired and Jc s Shooting Star took a two-length lead on Lady Bling. Then Alvarado knifed Summersault in between the two and she quickly accelerated into second before taking on the favorite in deep stretch. She maintained her momentum and got past Jc s Shooting Star in deep stretch to give Alvarado his third of four winners on the day, a day after he escaped serious injury when his horse fell in the first race. Summersault is now three for 12 on turf with three seconds and two thirds. She s also raced twice on dirt and has total earnings of more than $175,000.