Rice, who captured the recently concluded Aqueduct winter meet training title with 23 wins, won with all five of her starters on Thursday's program, while Lezcano won with five-of-six mounts. Three of the Rice-Lezcano scores came for owner Winning Move Stable.

Rice, who won a record-equaling 164 races on the NYRA circuit last year, was pleased to kick off the Aqueduct spring meet in style.

“I've had a few four-win days, a lot of three-win days, but not five in one day. It is pretty exciting,” Rice said. “The races went for me. Did I think we'd win five? No, not necessarily, but I knew we would have a good day.”

The quintet of scores kicked off in Race 2 as Winning Move Stable's Solib (American Pharoah) romped to victory in a seven-furlong claiming sprint for older New York-bred fillies and mares. The success continued in Race 4 as the Rice-owned Screaming Uncle (Bolt d'Oro) prevailed in a claiming sprint for 3-year-olds and upward.

Winning Move Stable would sweep Race 6 and Race 7 as New York-bred Cinderella's Cause (Congrats) won a one-turn mile claimer against open company older fillies and mares one race before graded stakes-winner Joey Freshwater (Jimmy Creed) ran off to an impressive score in an allowance optional-claiming tilt for older horses.

“I'll tell you Joey Freshwater ran a superb race. He really stepped up. It was a tough race and he really ran great,” said Rice of last year's GIII Bay Shore winner. “Joey Freshwater's race was pretty tough, a three-other-than in New York is always tough. Frankly I was thrilled with the way he ran, and it was just a dominant performance.”

The day concluded in Race 8 as Everything's Cricket Racing's New York homebred Freedsdale (Redesdale) made a winning debut with a prominent trip in a state-bred maiden special weight for sophomores.

“This 3-year-old in the last race had been training beautifully and I thought he would run great,” Rice said. “I wasn't sure it would be a win, but I was surprised he was such a long price.”

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Thursday's five wins came for five different trainers: Chris Hartman (Quiet Dawn, Race 2, $3.40); Susan Anderson (Drama Run, Race 3, $19.20); Doug Goodman (My Pal Dal, Race 4, $56.40); Robert Gorham (Northern Journey, Race 6, $2.60); and Barbara Riley (Aiken for Gold, Race 7, $4.00).

Perry Wayne Ouzts is the man! Putting a clinic on out at @BelterraPark! Just won 3 in a row! Closed 15 lengths back on 25/1 shot. pic.twitter.com/C9LH3lH1r5

— Blaise Bollman (@BlaiseLBC) June 25, 2020

The 65-year-old jockey recently returned to the races in mid-May, following nearly a 10-month break to recover from surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.

Ouzts' injury occurred last year on July 28 at Belterra, when his mount's bit broke and the bridle came apart. The horse was not injured, but Ouzts had to be taken off the course via ambulance, and an MRI later indicated the damage to his shoulder.

It's hardly the first time the jockey has made the news for an injury. Perhaps the most memorable was in 2012, when Ouzts' “steel horse” was hit by a car at 65 miles per hour on I-275 outside of Cincinnati. Despite the motorcycle accident, Ouzts managed to arrive at what was then called River Downs in time to ride the entire card, even winning with his first two mounts of the day.

About five weeks after his return to the saddle, Ouzts' momentum is starting to pick up. He recorded doubles at Belterra on June 9, 10, and 24, and the five-win day this Thursday brings his overall total to 15 victories thus far in 2020.

He may turn 66 years old on July 7, but age is nothing but a number when you love what you do.

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