Save Brings Heat in Cicada Stakes

Mineola Farm II and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Save has an unblemished record through two starts and will step outside her comfort zone and ship to New York for the $100,000 Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack March 20. 

A speedy daughter of Violence , Save invades from New Orleans, where she won both of her races at the Cicada distance of six furlongs at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Unraced as a juvenile, Save commenced her career with a 1 1/2-length New Year's Day triumph, tracking a close second behind the pacesetter before engaging in a stretch duel.

Save arrives at the Cicada off a gate-to-wire triumph in an allowance optional claiming race Feb. 16, where she lugged out in the last eighth of a mile but still was able to secure the victory by 1 1/4 lengths and appeared to have plenty left in reserve.

"In her last race she drifted out a bit," Amoss said. "However, she has not given any indication either before or after the race that she has issues with that. A lot of it is both education and experience."

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners bought into Save following her maiden victory.

"They are a dream to work with, and hopefully, I have more opportunities with them in the near future," Amoss said.

Trainer Ray Handal entered a pair of daughters of second crop sire Constitution  in Just Read It and Irish Constitution.

Owned by Handal with Ken Russell and Brown Road Racing, Just Read It will attempt to make amends after a distant sixth in the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes over the synthetic Tapeta surface Feb. 26 at Turfway Park. She broke her maiden in impressive fashion at Aqueduct at six furlongs, drawing off a 6 1/4-length winner Jan. 31. 

"I had this race on my radar for a while. I was debating whether I'd wait for this or go to Kentucky, and I decided to go here," Handal said. "When I talked to the jock (Emmanuel Esquivel) after the last race, he said she was not extending. She was barely blowing when she came back, and she bounced back really well. She looked awesome when she shipped back up to New York."

Perrine Time Thoroughbreds and West Paces Racing's stakes-placed Irish Constitution arrives off a week's rest after defeating state-bred runners at six furlongs March 12. The chestnut filly earned black type in her third start when a close second in the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes Oct. 1 at Belmont Park. 

"I've had some luck running off short rest," said Handal. "We've always really liked her. She's always one I've been high on. She bounced out of her last race really well; it was like a nice, strong workout for her."

She and Save are the only customary frontrunners in the field.

Entries: Cicada S.

Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, March 20, 2021, Race 3

• STK
• 6f
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 2:20 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Exogen (KY)	Manuel Franco	118	Miguel Penaloza	30/1
2	2Irish Constitution (NY)	Pablo Morales	118	Raymond Handal	3/1
3	3Salt Plage (KY)	Eric Cancel	120	Linda Rice	8/5
4	4Save (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	120	Thomas M. Amoss	6/5
5	5Just Read It (KY)	Dylan Davis	118	Raymond Handal	5/1