Indiana-Bred Hot Little Thing Invades NY for Cicada
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Photo: Coady Photography
Hot Little Thing wins the 2022 Back Home Again Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis
September Farm, Union Park Thoroughbreds, Storyteller Racing, and Jonathan Wilmot's Hot Little Thing will make her first start outside her native Indiana when coming off a five-month layoff in $100,000 Cicada Stakes March 18. The Cicada is a six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Hot Little Thing, a Rudy Brisset-trained daughter of Army Mule , enters off a distant third as the favorite when routing in the Miss Indiana Stakes Oct. 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Piloted by Alex Achard, she displayed her usual frontrunning tactics down the backstretch and held a clear advantage at the top of the stretch but retreated and completed the trifecta 10 1/4 lengths in arrears of winner Corningstone .
Her better efforts have come in three sprints, two of which resulted in blowout victories, including in the 2022 Back Home Again Stakes against fellow Indiana-breds.
"She doesn't want to go two turns. We kind of knew that going into it last time, but at the end of the day you do have to find out for sure in the afternoon," Brisset said.
Hot Little Thing has worked extensively at Keeneland leading up to her return. Her most recent work was a half-mile move over the main track there March 11 in :48 3/5 seconds.
"We know we're coming off a big layoff, but she's ready to run, and she actually changed a lot physically. She put a lot of weight on," Brisset said.
Achard will retain the mount from post 2.
Darryl Abramowitz's Pennsylvania-bred Tappin Josie rides a three-race win streak into her New York debut for trainer Horacio De Paz, who claimed the Anchor Down filly for $50,000 three starts back out of a 4 1/2-length triumph Jan. 20 at Laurel Park. She followed with two more victories, winning a Feb. 11 allowance optional claimer at Laurel before shipping to Parx Racing to win the Society Hill Stakes March 6.
De Paz said he was not 100% committed to run and would monitor her energy level heading into Saturday.
Boasting a consistent 5-2-1 record in 10 starts, Tappin Josie has a field-high bankroll of $200,200. She drew post 1 will be ridden by Kevin Gomez.
Trainer Linda Rice will saddle two-time winners Downtown Mischief (post 3, Jose Lezcano) and Fancy Azteca (post 6, Dylan Davis). The former, owned by Lady Sheila Stable, Downtown Mischief was a 7 3/4-length winner of her January 14 debut over a good Aqueduct main track before returning to the same oval to score against winners Feb. 17 over a sloppy and sealed main track. Both wins took place against fellow state-breds going the Cicada distance.
A New York homebred by Into Mischief , Downtown Mischief is out of the Speightstown mare Downtown Mama , a half sister to graded stakes winner Alpha Kitten . She could be favored Saturday.
Ronald Stewart's Fancy Azteca , by Sharp Azteca , was claimed for $20,000 by Rice out of a nine-length romp going a one-turn mile Jan. 22 at Aqueduct. She followed with a victorious cutback to 6 1/2 furlongs off less than two week's rest against starter optional claiming company. She figures to be a longshot in the Cicada.
The remaining entrants in the short field are Fabulously Funny and Musicmansandy , both of whom rise in class after recent victories.
The Cicada is slated as the ninth race on Saturday's 10-race program at Aqueduct. First post is 1:20 p.m. ET.
Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, March 18, 2023, Race 9Entries: Cicada S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
Tappin Josie (PA)
Kevin Gomez
122
Horacio De Paz
-
2
Hot Little Thing (IN)
Alex Achard
120
Rodolphe Brisset
-
3
Downtown Mischief (NY)
Jose Lezcano
118
Linda Rice
-
4
Fabulously Funny (KY)
Kendrick Carmouche
118
Anthony W. Dutrow
-
5
Musicmansandy (KY)
Manuel Franco
118
Norman L. Cash
-
6
Fancy Azteca (KY)
Dylan Davis
118
Linda Rice
-
