Thursday’s Insights: Unbeaten Nicky the Vest Returns at the Big A

3rd-AQU, $74k, OC45k/N2X, (S), 3yo/up, 1m, post tme: 1:19 p.m. ET

NICKY THE VEST (Runhappy), sidelined since running his record to a perfect two-for-two with a runaway score versus state-breds in the Gander S. Feb. 14, returns to action at the Big A Thursday. The New York-bred, forced to miss the GII Wood Memorial S. due to a knee chip, faces seven rivals in a state-bred optional claimer with first-time Lasix in his comebacker. Both of his previous wins came over this same track and trip.

“He had trained like a very good horse and he backed it up in his races. We were fortunate to win with him in his only two starts,” trainer Jonathan Thomas said. “The timing of the injury was unfortunate, but he's well-represented with his owners Mr. LaPenta and Mr. Kumin, who wanted to do right by the horse.”

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Two-For-Two Nicky The Vest Returns From Nine-Month Layoff Next Week At Aqueduct

Robert LaPenta and Sol Kumin's Nicky the Vest, a New York-bred sophomore son of Runhappy, is slated to make his return next week at Aqueduct Racetrack in what will be his first start in nine months after having to skip the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino due to a knee chip.

Nicky the Vest is undefeated in two career starts – both against fellow state-breds going a one-turn mile at the Big A – graduating on debut in December ahead of an 11 3/4-length score in the Gander in February.

Trainer Jonathan Thomas said the bay colt, who posted a half-mile breeze in 50.80 seconds Friday morning over the Belmont dirt training track, will be entered in a state-bred allowance.

“He had trained like a very good horse and he backed it up in his races. We were fortunate to win with him in his only two starts,” Thomas said. “The timing of the injury was unfortunate but he's well-represented with his owners Mr. LaPenta and Mr. Kumin, who wanted to do right by the horse.”

The bay colt was marking his ninth local breeze this morning dating back to September 19.

“He was sent to Ocala to Niall Brennan who did a wonderful job with him and the horse has come back and trained well. We're looking forward to getting him back,” Thomas said. “He had a nice little move this morning and it went really well.”

Thomas said Nicky the Vest had trained well into what would have been his two-turn debut in April in the Wood Memorial, a key prep for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

“At that stage of his career against 3-year-olds, we certainly felt bullish enough about his ability to try it,” Thomas said. “As time goes on, some of these horses really identify themselves as true two-turn horses but I don't know yet. He might be a nice one-turn mile horse and if that's the case that's fine also.”

Bred by Highclere, Nicky the Vest, a half-sibling to stakes winner Moms Choice, is out of the Cat Thief mare Tazarine.

Augustin Stable's stakes placed Experienced [post 1, Manny Franco] is entered in Race 3 on Sunday at Aqueduct, an 11-furlong turf allowance for 3-year-olds and up. By Temple City, he is out of the Nureyev mare No Matter What who captured the 2000 Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at nine furlongs on turf for Augustin Stable.

The well-related sophomore gelding is a half-sibling to graded-stakes winners Utley, Rainbow View, Winter View and Just as Well.

A nose winner on debut traveling one mile and 70 yards over the Delaware Park turf, Experienced followed with a closing second in the 12-furlong Bald Eagle Derby in July at Pimlico. He enters off a more than two-month layoff from a fifth-place finish in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Virginia Derby in August at Colonial Downs.

“He's training well. I love the post for him drawing the rail and getting the opportunity to save all the ground,” Thomas said. “There's limited opportunities, especially in the allowance ranks, to run horses this long. I feel the further he goes the better and we're looking forward to getting him started.”

McConnell Racing Stable's War Terminator [post 9, Manny Franco], a sophomore son of War Dancer, returns from a six-month layoff in Race 7 here on Sunday, a six-furlong turf sprint for state-breds 3-year-olds and up.

A state-bred maiden winner at first asking sprinting six furlongs over yielding Big A turf in April, War Terminator followed with a close second in a seven-furlong allowance sprint for New York-breds over firm Belmont turf on May 1 that garnered an 80 Beyer.

“He's come back pretty well. We've been able to get a couple of nice works under his belt,” Thomas said. “It's unfortunate that we're on the upswing with him at this time of year with the turf season coming to an end – especially as a New York-bred. But we're happy to be in the entry box and in with a shot.”

Thomas said recent stakes competitors Benbang and Bay Storm are likely to be freshened now with an eye to a return to stakes action in the New Year.

Bridlewood Farm's Bay Storm, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Kantharos, won the six-furlong Christiecat in September over firm going at Belmont and followed with a close second in the seven-furlong Glen Cove on October 15.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Benbang, a 2-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Shanghai Bobby, graduated on debut in an off-the-turf maiden tilt over a sloppy and sealed Saratoga main track and followed with an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Spinaway.

Last out, the talented bay was a game fourth in the Stewart Manor, defeated less than a length by the victorious Mystic Eyes in the six-furlong turf sprint on November 6 at Belmont.

“We're getting to the end of the season and they'll get a rest now to come back,” Thomas said. “Bay Storm ran great both times at Belmont. It was probably a little longer than she wanted to run last time with a hot pace, but we were so proud of her.

“Benbang was a little green on us in the lane last out and was getting in and she cost herself a place,” Thomas added. “But there was a stride or two where I thought she'd get up to win. I think backing her up in trip to 5 1/2 furlongs, especially at Saratoga next year, she'd be pretty adept.”

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Bay Storm Seeks Second Stakes Win In Friday’s Glen Cove At Belmont

Trainer Jonathan Thomas is hoping that lightning can strike twice at stakes caliber this Belmont Park fall meet when he sends out Bay Storm for Friday's inaugural running of the $100,000 Glen Cove for sophomore fillies going seven furlongs over the Widener turf at the Elmont, N.Y., track.

Owned by Bridlewood Farm, Bay Storm enters the Glen Cove off a wire-to-wire win in the Christiecat on opening weekend at Belmont, registering a 92 Beyer Speed Figure for the three-length triumph.

The dark bay or brown daughter of Kantharos broke sharply from the hedge in the Christiecat and never relinquished her advantage as she drew clear of the field under Hall of Famer John Velazquez

In her previous trio of starts, Bay Storm came from off the pace, including a two-length maiden score last October at Belmont over eventual winners O' Gotten Girl and Third Draft, the latter of whom was stakes-placed. Following this effort, she did not race until August of this year, where she was a close fifth beaten 1 ¾ lengths against winners over Saratoga's Mellon Turf, ahead of a Christiecat score.

Although Bay Storm has never raced past six furlongs in four lifetime starts, Thomas expressed confidence in his filly's ability to get the distance in the Christiecat.

“When you ride Johnny Velazquez, the instructions are pretty simple,” Thomas said. “He took control of the race, she broke well and settled really nicely on the front end and was able to kick away. She looks like she'll stretch out. We won't take the weather for granted as long as we have good ground and weather.”

Thomas said one mile could possibly be within reach farther down the road.

“It's hard to tell,” Thomas said. “She's out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare [stakes-winner Stormy Regatta] so there's plenty of stamina on the bottom. It'll be up to her. I don't see her being a mile and a quarter, but she could be effective at a mile.”

Luis Saez picks up the mount from post 7.

Shortleaf Stable's Caldee, second in the Christiecat, will attempt to turn the tables on Bay Storm for trainer Brad Cox.

The daughter of veteran stallion More Than Ready saw a considerable cutback in distance from her previous four efforts this year at one mile to a mile-and-a-sixteenth, which included runner-up efforts in the Dueling Grounds Oaks Preview on August 7 at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., and the Christiana on July 3 at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del.

Second in last year's Grade 2 Miss Grillo at Belmont to Plum Ali in her only graded stakes effort, Caldee defeated winners going one mile on May 28 over the Widener turf in her most recent victory.

Manny Franco will return to the irons from post 3.

Michael Ryan, Jeff Drown, and Team Hanley's Invincible Gal has been second five times over as many ovals at stakes level and seeks a breakthrough victory for trainer Graham Motion.

Winless in eight starts since a debut win last August at Saratoga, Invincible Gal will cut back for the Christiecat, arriving off a second in the nine-furlong Virginia Oaks on August 31 at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va. After finishing second in the Tepin last November at Aqueduct, she picked up another runner-up effort off a six-month layoff when second beaten a neck in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly at Belmont on May 15.

Breaking from post 5, Invincible Gal will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr.

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Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Honey Pants has earned both of her career victories at Belmont and will vie for her first stakes victory after five previous attempts at that level.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the gray or roan daughter of Cairo Prince was second in the Stewart Manor last fall at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., en route to another runner-up effort in her sophomore bow in the Ginger Brew on January 2 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. Honey Pants defeated winners three starts back going six furlongs over the inner turf on June 20, defeating next-out winners Too Sexy, her stablemate, and Time Limit.

Dylan Davis will pick up the mount from post 12.

Completing the field are Alwayz Late [post 1, Jose Ortiz], Orbs Baby Girl [post 2, Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr.], Adelaide Miss [post 4, Jorge Vargas, Jr.], Aug Lutes [post 6, Jose Lezcano], Spirit of Bermuda [post 8, Javier Castellano], Miss Dracarys [post 9, Junior Alvarado], Por Que No [post 10, Paco Lopez], and Keeper of Time [post 11, Kendrick Carmouche].

The Glen Cove is slated as Race 7 [3:49 p.m.] on Friday's nine-race program. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Corelli Passes Belichick In Stretch To Win Singspiel At Woodbine

Near the back of the pack for much of the 10-furlong Grade 3 Singspiel, Corelli and jockey Kazushi Kimura took advantage of a hole between horses on the final turn to pass a front-running Belichick mid-stretch and win the Singspiel by 1 3/4 lengths at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

Sixth in his last start in the Forbidden Apple at Saratoga, Corelli once again was at the back of the pack in the Singspiel, seventh for the first six furlongs with only Woodbridge behind him. Peace of Ekati held the lead for the first six furlongs, setting fractions of :25.90 for the first quarter, :50.55 for the first half, and 1:14.91 for the three-quarters of a mile. Belichick, who sat a length behind Peace of Ekati throughout the first three-quarters of a mile, moved to the lead on the final turn, his advantage a half-length going into the stretch.

Kimura took Corelli through an opening on the turn, building up momentum to challenge Belichick's lead with a furlong to go. The son of Point of Entry took over at that point, pulling away to win the Singspiel by a length and three-quarters. English Conqueror was second, Belichick holding on for third. Theregoesjojo, Primo Touch, Peace of Ekati, Eons, and Woodbridge rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the mile and a quarter was 2:01.70. Find this race's chart here.

Corelli paid $9.80, $4.90, and $3.10. English Conqueror paid $9.20 and $4.80. Belichick paid $2.70 to show.

Bred in Kentucky by George Strawbridge, Jr., Corelli is a 6-year-old gelding by Point of Entry out of Vignette, by Diesis. Owned by Augustin Stable and trained by Jonathan Thomas, the victory in the G3 Singspiel improves Corelli to 2-0-1 in 2021, with a lifetime record of five wins in 18 starts for career winnings of $270,011.

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