Backsideofthemoon Shines Bright In Aqueduct’s Queens County

Repole Stable's Backsideofthemoon went nearly 12 months between victories. But after earning a winner's circle trip last out going 1 1/8 miles on November 13, the Rudy Rodriguez trainee capped his 2020 with a second straight score, leading gate-to-wire to win Saturday's $100,000 Queens County for 3-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Backsideofthemoon broke sharp from post 4 under Jose Lezcano, surging to the front and angled near the rail with even-money favorite Musical Heart in close pursuit with the opening quarter-mile in 24.18 seconds, the half in 48.39 and three-quarters in 1:13.17 on the fast main track.

Out of the final turn, Lezcano kept Backsideofthemoon to the inside and opened up in the final furlong to draw away a six-length winner. The 8-year-old son of Malibu Moon completed the 1 1/8-mile course in 1:52.94, earning his first stakes win in 11 attempts dating to the Jazil in January 2018.

“He broke very well,” said Lezcano, who registered his third win of the day. “I sent him a little bit and after that he just jumped right in the bridle. He seemed very confident the whole way around. When I asked him, he gave me everything he had and just kept on going.”

Off at 7-2, Backsideofthemoon returned $9.20 on a $2 win wager for winning the 115th edition of the Queens County. He improved his career earnings to $722,216.

The Kentucky bred won for the sixth time in 19 starts over the Big A main track.

“All the credit goes to [owner] Mike [Repole]. We were going to scratch and run tomorrow,” Rodriguez said. “I called Mike and he said, 'You know what, Rudy? Just leave him there. I think he'll be good in there.' So, I have to give the credit to Mike. He plays the game very aggressively. We'll see what he wants to do next out.”

After winning last month at the same distance in a race moved off the turf, Rodriguez said Backsideofthemoon handled the return to stakes company with aplomb. Rodriguez is 2-for-2 with his charge after claiming out of a second-place effort on September 24 at Belmont Park.

“We never expected to see him on the lead, but Jose said he broke so sharp and was really in the bridle,” Rodriguez said. “He just left him alone. He always tries; that's why we claimed him.”

Musical Heart, trained by Rob Atras and ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, cruised to a second-place finish, 12 ¼ lengths in front of Empty Tomb. Mirinaque, Danny California and So High completed the order of finish. Forewarned was scratched.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with a 10-race card. First post is 11:50 a.m.

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Bankit Ends Win Drought, Defeats Mr. Buff In Alex M. Robb

Bankit posted a slew of close efforts in the 17 months since his previous win. But Saturday, the 4-year-old son of Central Banker left no doubt, overtaking Mr. Buff at the top of the stretch and cruising to a 4 3/4-length victory in the $100,000 Alex M. Robb for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing, Bankit registered his first win in 14 starts – in a span that encompassed five runner-up finishes – outkicking two-time defending Alex M. Robb winner Mr. Buff for his first score since the New York Derby in July 2019 at Finger Lakes.

Bankit, a last-out third-place finisher in the NYSSS Thunder Rumble on November 22 at the Big A, tracked in fourth position as Sea Foam led the six-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.16 seconds and the half in 48.47 on the fast main track amid foggy conditions.

Jockey Jose Lezcano tipped Bankit out approaching the far turn, moving up to third. When straightened for home, Bankit found an extra gear from the outside, easily overtaking Sea Foam before running eye-to-eye and then passing 6-5 favorite Mr. Buff, completing the 1 1/8-mile course in a final time of 1:51.59.

“I watched a couple replays and it looked like sometimes he hangs a little bit,” Lezcano said. “Today, he broke well and I had him behind the two horses I thought we had to beat. When I asked him, he gave me everything he got.”

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Bankit turned the tables on Mr. Buff, reversing the order of the 1-2 finish in the Empire Classic on October 24 at Belmont going the same distance.

Off at 5-2, Bankit, bred by Hidden Brook Farm and Blue Devil Racing, returned $7.70 on a $2 win bet. He improved his career bankroll to $816,675.

“He had a nice pace set up and Jose [Lezcano] put him in a good spot. He got good position and ran a good race,” said Toby Sheets, assistant to Asmussen.

Chester and Mary Broman's Mr. Buff, wheeled back exactly one week after running fifth in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile, came up short in his bid for three straight Alex M. Robb victories for trainer John Kimmel but ran three lengths clear of Yankee Division for second.

Sea Foam, Danny California and City Man, who broke through the gate before being reloaded, completed the order of finish.

“My horse broke bad because the horse inside [City Man] acted up a little and broke through the gate,” said jockey Kendrick Carmouche, aboard Mr. Buff. “He got a little fussy in there and broke a step slow, but I got him to where I wanted to have him in the race. He ran hard. He tried his best. I think if he hadn't ran seven days ago, it would be a different outcome, but congratulations to the winner.”

Live racing will resume on Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card featuring the $100,000 Bay Ridge, a nine-furlong test for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. First-race post time is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Mrs. Danvers Stretches Out For Convincing Triumph In Comely

Allen Stables' Mrs. Danvers surged to the front out of the gate and closed even stronger, drawing away for a 6 1/4-length victory for her first career stakes score in Friday's 71st running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Comely for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Stretching out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time, the trainee of Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey broke sharp from post 6, with jockey Jose Lezcano keeping his charge at the front of the eight-horse field with the opening quarter-mile in 24.30 on the main track rated fast.

Project Whiskey, off at 15-1, challenged Mrs. Danvers along the backstretch, with the duo separated by a head as the half-mile went in 48.69. But Lezcano kept Mrs. Danvers pressed heading around the final turn, where she stayed near the rail while expanding her lead when straightened for home, powering to the wire in a final time of 1:50.09.

Making just her second stakes appearance, and first since running fifth in the Grade 1 Test on August 8, Runhappy Travers Day, at Saratoga Race Course, Mrs. Danvers won for the second straight outing, building on her victory by a neck against older allowance company in a one-turn mile on October 25 at Belmont Park.

“We were anxious to get her stretched out. It's just been kind of difficult to do so,” McGaughey said. “This is what we felt like she wanted to do. Watching some of her allowance races, I wasn't sure I was running her right. It looked like she was going to win and then she wouldn't win.

“I think this is naturally what she wants to do is run this far,” he added. “Being on the lead today definitely helped. I don't think it's something she needs, but going down the line she'll be forwardly placed.”

McGaughey added blinkers to the Tapit filly before her last start and has seen the Kentucky homebred improve to 2-for-2 since the equipment change. Mrs. Danvers' dam, Gracie Square, is a half-sister to graded stakes-winners War Front, Teammate, North Dakota and Ecclesiastic.  All are out of the stakes winning and multiple graded stakes-placed Rubiano mare Starry Dreamer.

“Any time you can get a win with a filly with a pedigree like that, especially for the breeder, [Joseph Allen], it means a lot. He believed in this filly.”

Off at 7-2, Mrs. Danvers returned $9.50 on a $2 win wager. She improved her career record to 3-3-1 in eight career starts, increasing her bankroll to $211,800.

“She's a nice filly,” Lezcano said. “Today, I let her break and run for the first quarter and she came back to me very nice. She was galloping along the whole way around. When I asked her to run, she jumped up in the bridle and took off.”

Ice Princess notched runner-up status for the second straight stakes appearance, building on her effort in the Fleet Indian against fellow New York-breds last month for trainer Danny Gargan. Returning to open company, Ice Princess was four lengths the best of Thankful for second.

“A couple horses made moves on the backside,” said Ice Princess jockey Junior Alvarado, who also won the $100,000 Gio Ponti aboard City Man and the $100,000 Forever Together on Feel Glorious on the card. “It was a strange move at that point of the race when everybody had their position, but I stayed with my plan. Turning for home, I moved out and picked up the pieces. We were second-best today.”

Toned Up, 2-1 favorite Gale, Miss Marissa, Project Whiskey and My Sweet Wife completed the order of finish. Makingcents and Pure Rhythm scratched.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Aqueduct with a 10-race card highlighted by the Grade 3, $100,000 Long Island for fillies and mares on the turf, the Grade 3, $100,000 Discovery for sophomores on the main track, the $100,000 Central Park for juveniles and the $100,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship for 3-year-olds and up. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

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Frontrunning Theodora B. Faces Trio From Clement Stable In Aqueduct’s Long Island

An evenly-matched field of fillies and mares are set to clash on the Aqueduct Racetrack turf in Ozone Park, N.Y., in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Long Island at 1 ⅜ miles on the inner course, led by graded stakes winner Theodora B. from the barn of trainer Michael Dickinson.

A versatile 5-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper, Theodora B. had been knocking on the door at the stakes level for much of her career before breaking through in a big way in 2020. The Augustin Stable homebred began her year with an encouraging optional claiming win at Laurel Park, and after a hiccup on the synthetic main track at Woodbine in the Grade 3 Trillium, finally notched her first stakes victory with a wire-to-wire score in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly on turf.

That same frontrunning tactic earned her another stakes win one start later in the TVG at Kentucky Downs, but she failed to get the job done in her most recent start, the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor at Woodbine, fading to fifth after setting the early pace.

“She's doing very well, fresh and sound.” said Dickinson, who attributes her improvement this year to mental and physical maturation. “She's stayed very sound, and we've discovered she's happiest on the front end, which is where she'll be again on Saturday. It's not anything we planned for, it just happened that nobody wanted the lead [in the Dance Smartly], and she's been in great form.”

In search of her third stakes win of the year, Theodora B. will enlist the services of top turf rider Jose Lezcano from post 9.

Never a stranger to turf stakes races on the NYRA circuit, trainer Christophe Clement has a trio of runners entered in Wegetsdamunnys, Mutamakina, and Traipsing.

Bred in New York by Wellspring Stables, the daughter of D'Funnybone will be making her swan song in the Long Island before she heads to the breeding shed in 2021. The 5-year-old mare has accumulated over $300,000 in career earnings with five wins from 23 starts, and recently finished second in the Yaddo on September 4 at Saratoga Race Course.

“She's always been consistent for us,” Clement said of Wegetsdamunnys. “It's a bit ambitious, but this will be her last race before she goes off to become a broodmare.”

Conversely, Mutamakina's U.S. career appears to just be taking flight after the French import finished third in the Zagora on October 31 at Belmont Park in her stateside debut. The 4-year-old filly encountered significant trouble in the Zagora, run over a yielding turf course at Belmont, having been shuffled badly in upper stretch before mounting a strong rally to get within a half-length of the winner at the finish.

“She ran a very good race last out,” said Clement. “She's been training forwardly and we'll take her to Florida after this race.”

A Stone Farm homebred, Traipsing will take a hefty step up in class after beating a second-level optional claiming field in late September on the Belmont lawn in wire-to-wire fashion. She will also stretch out in distance significantly having won that race at 1 1/16 miles, and she has yet to go beyond 1 ⅛ miles in her career.

Wegetsdamunnys will be ridden by Dylan Davis from post 2, Mutamakina will have the services of Eric Cancel out of post 4, and Kendrick Carmouche will be aboard Traipsing from post 3.

Local horseman Tom Albertrani also has a formidable duo lined up for the Long Island with turf marathon aficionados Beau Belle and Lovely Lucky. Though winless on the year, Beau Belle has acquitted herself nicely in a few such stakes races, with a couple of third-place finishes in the Grade 2 Glens Falls and the River Memories on her 2020 resume. In her most recent outing, however, she finished a distant eighth in the Zagora.

“She did too much on the front end that day [in the Zagora] and the soft turf just got to her,” said Albertrani, who trains Beau Belle for Mark Anderson. “It's the only race she really ran poorly in. Hopefully, with a different scenario it works out next trip. She's run well in most of her starts. We'll see if she can come back.”

Luis Rodriguez Castro will ride Beau Belle from post 7.

A 4-year-old daughter of Lookin At Lucky owned by Elizabeth Mateo, Lovely Lucky looked like a star in the making when she got to go 1 ⅜ miles for the first time on July 24 at Saratoga, however that hasn't really panned out in subsequent starts. She entered her breakthrough victory off a meager maiden claiming score, but exploded to a surprising 6 ¾-length romp at the Spa at odds of 19-1. Since then, she's finished fourth in the Glens Falls and seventh in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational in her latest outing.

“She's a filly that's been improving with the distance that we ran her,” said Albertrani. “In the race at Saratoga [the Grade 2 Glens Falls], Lezcano was fighting her a little too much and she ended up running fourth. We were thinking Beau Belle would set the pace but actually she had more speed and I think he may have held her back a little more than she needed him to. She still ran well. Hopefully, she steps up.”

An also eligible in post 13, Lovely Lucky will hope to draw into the race for rider Harry Hernandez.

New York mainstays Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey and renowned turf conditioner Chad Brown will also be well represented. McGaughey's Hungry Kitten nearly won her third race in a row last out in the Zagora, in which she finished a fast-closing second behind Luck Money. The rapidly improving 4-year-old will be ridden by Nik Juarez from post 11.

Brown, meanwhile, will send out French product Eliade, who is coming off an impressive allowance win on October 8 at Keeneland. Prior to that, the Teofilo filly finished an even fifth in the Glens Falls on this circuit. Jose Ortiz, regular rider of Hungry Kitten, will take the call from the inside post.

Rounding out the field are Siberian Iris [post 5, Mike Luzzi), English Affair (post 6, Jorge Vargas, Jr.), With Dignity (post 8, Sebastian Saez), Pretty Point (post 10, Christopher DeCarlo) and Delta's Kingdom (post 12, Junior Alvarado).

The Long Island is slated as the finale on Aqueduct's 10-race program, which offers a first post of 11:50 a.m. Eastern. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the Aqueduct fall meet with coverage to air on FOX Sports and MSG Networks.

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