Aqueduct’s GIII Nashua S., worth $100,000 at a mile, is often a nice target for developing juveniles who may not have been ready to tackle the top competition in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Recent winners include eventual MGISW Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), who was scratched as the favorite from Saturday’s GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint, and eventual GISW Violence (Medaglia d’Oro), who is making a splash as a sire.
This year’s edition of the Nashua features seven 2-year-olds, with Ten for Ten (Frosted) heavily favored. Second on debut at Saratoga, the gray broke through at second asking with an eight-length, 78 Beyer Speed Figure romp in the slop at 8 1/2 furlongs Oct. 16 at Belmont. The Shug McGaughey-trained, Courtlandt Farm-owned, $410,000 Keeneland September graduate is out of an unraced half-sister to a Giant’s Causeway trifecta in GISWs Vexatious and Creative Cause, as well as to MGSW & GISP Destin.
Ten for Ten will have to get by first-out winner and Michael Shanley homebred Nova Rags (Union Rags), whose 78 Beyer matches nicely with the favorite. Bill Mott debuted him at six furlongs, but if the colt’s sire has anything to do with it, he should relish the extra distance of the Nashua.
Pickin’ Time (Stay Thirsty) is a New Jersey-bred for trainer Kelly Breen, who not only has the most experience in the field with four starts, but is the only stakes winner to enter the Nashua gate. Winner of the six-furlong Smoke Glacken S. at Monmouth Sept. 27, he was also runner-up at this distance three weeks prior in the Sapling S. Connections aren’t afraid of the big guns, but he was well behind MGISW Jackie’s Warrior (Maclean’s Music) in the GII Saratoga Special S.
Isolate (Mark Valeski) ships in from Gulfstream with an undefeated record and a 10-length blowout Sept. 12 that got him the highest Beyer of the field at 79, but he’ll have two add two furlongs for trainer Kathy Ritvo. The rest of the field is comprised of double-digit longshots Spectatorless (Mshawish), Civil War (Bodemeister), and Irish Honor (Honor Code).
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