Long Island Tops Trio of Stakes at Aqueduct
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Adam Mooshian
Si Que Es Buena wins the La Prevoyante Stakes at Gulfstream Park
The warmer temperatures on the West Coast at this time of year can be a great inducement for traveling from New York to California.
Yet for some horsemen, not even the promise of short sleeves and a light windbreaker can match the appeal of a $400,000 grass race in the Big Apple.
Which succinctly explains why trainer Graham Motion resisted the urge to send one of his female turf runners out west and instead will run three of them in the $400,000 Long Island Stakes (G3T), the final graded turf stakes of the year in New York and one of three stakes on the Nov. 30 card at Aqueduct Racetrack.
"I had been tempted to take one of the three to California, but the lure of the $400,000 makes it very appealing to stay at home," Motion said.
Motion's uncoupled trio of Empressof the Nile, Mercilla and Si Que Es Buena stands out among an overflow field of 15 (with an also-eligible entrant and two main-track-only starters) in the 1 3/8-mile turf stakes with a hefty purse that outshines its grade 3 status.
All three have stakes experience at distances beyond the 11 furlongs of Saturday's test.
Takaya Shimakawa's Si Que Es Buena started her career in Peru and has become a graded stakes winner since being shifted to Motion's barn last fall. Fourth in last year's Long Island in her United States debut, she then shipped to Florida and won the Via Borghese Stakes at 1 3/16 miles on turf and the La Prevoyante Stakes (G3T) at 1 1/2 miles, both at Gulfstream Park.
Then rested for nearly nine months, the 6-year-old daughter of Equal Stripes was sixth in her comeback race, beaten 4 1/2 lengths in the 1 1/4-mile E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine in her most recent start.
"She wasn't 100% after running on the hard tracks at Gulfstream this winter, so we gave her time off," Motion said. "We brought her back in Canada, which was an ambitious spot, but now, with a race under her belt, she can move forward. She's coming up to the race in good shape, and the only question is that she likes the firm ground in Florida, so we'll have to see how she handles it Saturday."
Si Que Es Buena drew the rail and will be ridden by Joel Rosario.
Empressof the Nile needed seven tries to break her maiden but has developed into a consistent performer in stakes company. In her past four starts, the 5-year-old Pioneerof the Nile mare owned by Madaket Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, and Robert Masiello had a pair of wins and a second in a grade 2 stakes.
Winner of an allowance optional claimer at Saratoga Race Course, she followed with a three-quarter-length loss to stablemate Mrs. Sippy in the Glens Falls Stakes (G2T). After failing to fire in the Flower Bowl Invitational (G1T) and finishing seventh, she rallied from eighth to take the Nov. 3 Zagora Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on the Big A turf.
"I was pleased with her last race," Motion said. "The Flower Bowl was a head-scratcher, but she bounced back very well."
Empressof the Nile will break from post 11 with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
Rebecca Hillen, Madaket Stables, and Wonder Stables' Mercilla seeks her first stakes win since arriving in the U.S. this year. She was a winner by a head at Pimlico Race Course in her U.S. debut and two starts later was second in the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs. The 3-year-old daughter of Arch took on older females in the Zagora, showing an unusual turn of early speed before finishing sixth, just 1 1/4 lengths behind Empressof the Nile.
"She's a 3-year-old who ran very well the last time, only losing by about a length, which was pretty encouraging. I think she appreciates the extra ground and the softer ground with some give in it," Motion said. "I hadn't planned to run in the Long Island, but after the last race she earned a chance to run here to close out the year, and then we'll bring her back in the spring."
Mercilla will break from post 2 under Eric Cancel.
Also entered are Godolphin's Romantic Pursuit, who is coming off a third in the Sands Point Stakes (G2T) for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin; Moyglare Stud Farm's Homeland Security, the Christophe Clement-trained runner-up in the Zagora; and Peter Brant's My Sister Nat, a group 3 winner in France who is making her U.S. stakes debut for trainer Chad Brown.
Tax Returns in Discovery
In the race before the Long Island, Phipps Stable and Claiborne Farm's Performer will get his first taste of the prime-time spotlight.
A winner of three straight races, including two in allowance company, the son of Speightstown bred by the Phippses will be tested for the first time around two turns and in a stakes when he faces seven fellow 3-year-olds in the $200,000 Discovery Stakes (G3) at 1 1/8 miles.
"He's had a very good year, and it's time to step it up," trainer Shug McGaughey said about the winner of three of four starts. "He's training really, really well since his last race, and I think he belongs. We'll see how he does at the mile and an eighth, but he should be able to handle it. He breaks good and can put himself where he wants, then go from there."
Performer's most recent start came Sept. 29 when he won a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claimer at Belmont Park by 1 3/4 lengths.
Performer, who will be ridden by Rosario from post 6, will receive a stiff test from Tax, who captured the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course. The 3-year-old Arch gelding, who was claimed for $50,000 by trainer Danny Gargan in October 2018, has not run since Aug. 24 when he finished seventh in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1).
"He's training tremendously. I couldn't be happier with him," Gargan said. "He runs good off a layoff. When we give him time, he can run a big race."
After the Travers, an inopportune fever sidelined Tax and knocked him out of the Oklahoma Derby (G3) and the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), prompting Gargan to point for the Discovery at the same distance and track where he won the Withers Stakes (G3) and finished second in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2).
"He likes the track at Aqueduct, and he doesn't have to ship," Gargan said. "It will be a good test. It's a solid field."
Owned by R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch, and Corms Racing Stable, Tax has earned $786,300 in a career that features three wins and two seconds in nine starts.
Ortiz will be aboard Tax, who drew the rail.
Gargan said the Discovery could be a springboard to running in some of the winter's major stakes, such as the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
"If he wins this one or runs big enough, we're going to Florida, so the Pegasus is definitely an option," said Gargan, who listed the $20 million Saudi Cup and $12 million Dubai World Cup Presented by Emirates Airline (G1) as other possibilities for the gelding.
The Discovery will also mark the stakes debut of Shadwell Stable's Mubarmaj, who is coming off impressive maiden and allowance wins for Brown.
Field of Seven in Aqueduct Turf Sprint
The $125,00 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship Stakes attracted a field of seven, headed by Godolphin's Fully Vested, who was third for trainer Tom Albertrani in the Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational Stakes.
The six-furlong stakes also lured Corrib Racing's Lonhtwist, trained by Leo O'Brien; owner/trainer Kathleen Demasi's Laurel Dash Stakes winner Dubini; and Zayat Stables' Gidu, fourth in the Belmont Turf Sprint.
The Aqueduct Turf Sprint will be the seventh race Saturday, with a post time of 2:46 p.m. ET. It will be followed by the Discovery and the Long Island.
The 10-race card begins at 11:50 a.m.
Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, November 30, 2019, Race 7Entries: Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Gidu (IRE)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
122
Todd A. Pletcher
3/1
2
2Nice Tune (IL)
Joey R. Martinez
120
Herold O. Whylie
30/1
3
3Jammer (MD)
Johan Rosado
122
Robert Leaf, Jr.
15/1
4
4Lonhtwist (KY)
Michael J. Luzzi
122
Leo O'Brien
8/1
5
5Fully Vested (KY)
Jose Lezcano
122
Thomas Albertrani
9/5
6
6Dubini (KY)
Kendrick Carmouche
124
Kathleen A. Demasi
5/2
7
7Vici (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
120
David G. Donk
9/2
Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, November 30, 2019, Race 8Entries: Discovery S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Tax (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
124
Danny Gargan
2/1
2
2Mubarmaj (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
Chad C. Brown
6/1
3
3Air Attack (KY)
Dylan Davis
118
Gregory D. Sacco
20/1
4
4En Wye Cee (KY)
Joe Bravo
118
Todd A. Pletcher
6/1
5
5Majid (KY)
Reylu Gutierrez
120
Rudy R. Rodriguez
20/1
6
6Performer (KY)
Joel Rosario
120
Claude R. McGaughey III
8/5
7
7Carlos L. (KY)
Kendrick Carmouche
124
Jorge Navarro
12/1
8
8Grumps Little Tots (KY)
Jose Lezcano
118
Jason Servis
8/1
Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, November 30, 2019, Race 9Entries: Long Island S. (G3T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Si Que Es Buena (ARG)
Joel Rosario
124
H. Graham Motion
3/1
2
2Mercilla (KY)
Eric Cancel
118
H. Graham Motion
12/1
3
3Entropia (ARG)
Kendrick Carmouche
122
William I. Mott
15/1
4
4My Sister Nat (FR)
Jose L. Ortiz
124
Chad C. Brown
8/1
5
5Decorating (KY)
Jose Lezcano
122
Thomas F. Proctor
12/1
6
6Beau Belle (KY)
Luis A. Rodriguez Castro
122
Thomas Albertrani
15/1
7
7More Fun Again (KY)
Julio Correa
122
Thomas F. Proctor
30/1
8
8Romantic Pursuit (KY)
Dylan Davis
122
Kiaran P. McLaughlin
12/1
9
9Lift Up (KY)
Joe Bravo
124
Michael W. Dickinson
10/1
10
10Homeland Security (KY)
Junior Alvarado
124
Christophe Clement
6/1
11
11Empressof the Nile (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
124
H. Graham Motion
7/2
12
12Pivotal Connection (GB)
Benjamin Hernandez
122
William I. Mott
10/1
13
13Wegetsdamunnys (NY)
Kendrick Carmouche
122
Christophe Clement
15/1
14
14Another Broad (MD)
Rider TBA
126
Todd A. Pletcher
4/5
15
15Team Win (KY)
Rider TBA
118
Todd A. Pletcher
8/1