Graded Winners Morello, Drafted Clash in Gravesend 

Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, Iapetus Racing, and Diamond T Racing's graded-stakes winner Morello  returns from a two-month absence in the $135,000 Gravesend Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for 3-years-old and up, Dec. 30 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the 3-year-old Classic Empire   chestnut has won three of five starts at Aqueduct, including scores in the seven-furlong Jimmy Winkfield Stakes in February and the one-mile Gotham Stakes (G3) in March with jockey Jose Lezcano up.

Dave Lyon, managing partner of Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, relishes the opportunity for Morello to headline a 12-horse field in Friday's feature race.

"It's good that here in the dead of winter in New York we're getting big fields. That's a positive thing," Lyon said. "We have confidence running on our home track. It's a surface we know he can run on and won on many times, so we're happy to be on our home track."

Morello stepped up in class but finished off the board in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2) in April and the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (G1) in June at Belmont Park before a four-month break that saw him return victorious in a six-furlong optional-claimer Oct. 8 at Laurel Park, easily besting returning rival Greeley and Ben .

"We had him in some pretty tough company and then gave him the summer off," Lyon said. "His comeback race in Maryland was off the charts. He really didn't break well there, but he ran down Greeley and Ben and ran a nice race."

Morello was last seen finishing a distant fifth after stumbling at the start in the Kelso Handicap (G2), a one-turn mile where he faced older horses Oct. 29 at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. Lyon is pleased to see Lezcano return to the irons from post 7 aboard Morello, who is assigned 124 pounds.

"The secret is out on Morello. He has to break well," Lyon said. "He's not broken well out of the gate several times, even in races he's won. I kind of closed my eyes the last couple races and hoped he'd break well. We're happy to have Jose back on him, who rode him to three wins in a row last year around this time to get things started."

Dublin Fjord Stables, Racepoint Stables, Kevin D. Hilbert, and Thomas E. O'Keefe's multiple graded stakes winner Drafted  also returns from a two-month respite after finishing a close fifth in the six-furlong Bold Ruler Stakes (G3) on the Kelso undercard.

Trained by David Duggan, the 8-year-old Field Commission  gelding boasts career earnings of $1,083,193 and a record of 3-1-1 from eight starts this year led by wins in the Toboggan Stakes (G3) in February at Aqueduct and the Runhappy Stakes (G3) in May at Belmont.

Duggan said a strong pace would benefit the late-running Drafted.

"There's lots of speed in there, and whenever there's a big field, you're guaranteed a fast pace, so that will play into our wheelhouse," Duggan said.

Drafted has kept impressive company this year, finishing fifth in the Forego Stakes (G1) in August at the Spa won by Cody's Wish , who exited that effort to win the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Drafted was then third in the Vosburgh Stakes (G2) in October won by next-out Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) victor Elite Power ; and a close fifth in the Bold Ruler, captured by Runninsonofagun , who finished a neck shy of victory in the next-out Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct in November.

Luis Rodriguez Castro, who guided Drafted to a last-to-first score in the Mr. Prospector in June at Monmouth Park, picks up the mount in place of the injured Trevor McCarthy. Drafted carries co-topweight of 126 lbs.

Greeley and Ben made the grade last out in the six-furlong Fall Highweight Nov. 26 for owner Darryl E. Abramowitz and trainer Faith Wilson, who was filling in for his then-suspended conditioner Jeffrey Englehart.

The 8-year-old Greeley's Conquest  gelding is a veteran of 39 career starts with a record of 23-7-2 for purse earnings of $882,698. He was claimed for $40,000 out of a winning effort in September at Saratoga Race Course and since then has posted two wins from four starts for his current connections.

Little Vic  enters from his first career stakes score in the seven-furlong City of Laurel Stakes Nov. 26 at Laurel Park for trainer Juan Avila and owner Victoria's Ranch, the racing operation of retired Major League Baseball All-Star Victor Martinez.

Four of the entrants in the Gravesend have been cross-entered in other races this week, which could alter the potential lineup. The Gravesend is slated as race 7 on Friday's eight-race card at 3:40 p.m. ET.

Entries: Gravesend S.

Aqueduct Racetrack, Friday, December 30, 2022, Race 7

• STK
• 6f
• Dirt
• $135,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:40 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Three Two Zone (KY)	Dylan Davis	120	Raymond Handal	-
2	Bezos (KY)	Omar Hernandez Moreno	120	Chandradat Goberdhan	-
3	Drafted (FL)	Luis A. Rodriguez Castro	126	David P. Duggan	-
4	Synthesis (KY)	Andre Shivnarine Worrie	122	David Jacobson	-
5	Smooth B (PA)	Abner Adorno	124	Robert E. Reid, Jr.	-
6	Amundson (NY)	Kendrick Carmouche	120	Linda Rice	-
7	Morello (KY)	Jose Lezcano	124	Steven M. Asmussen	-
8	Repo Rocks (VA)	Andrew Wolfsont	124	Jamie Ness	-
9	Beren (PA)	Frankie Pennington	124	Robert E. Reid, Jr.	-
10	Greeley and Ben (KY)	Manuel Franco	126	Jeffrey S. Englehart	-
11	Little Vic (KY)	Carlos Olivero	122	Juan Carlos Avila	-
12	Twisted Ride (PA)	Silvestre Gonzalez	122	Michael M. Moore	-