Class Drop May Help Meri Shika in Long Island Handicap
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Meri Shika wins the Flaming Page Stakes at Woodbine in August. (Photo courtesy of Michael Burns Photography/WEG)
The Grade 3, $200,000 Long Island Handicap features a field of 12 fillies and mares plus two also-eligibles, running the marathon distance of 1 ½ miles on the Aqueduct turf. With only three of the entrants having won their most recent races, none in stakes, the horses which have been running in higher level stakes may have the edge.
Meri Shika (FR) is one of those, having just run in the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes. Although she was eighth, she has a chance to run as she did two races prior to that when victorious in the Flaming Page stakes at the distance of the Long Island. Viva Rafaela (BRZ) also drops in class, coming into the race off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes last month.
A pair of European runners making their first starts in the U.S. also warrant consideration as both won their most recent races. Danza Cavallo (FR) won the Prix Madame Jean Couturie Stakes when last seen in July, in France, while Hellenistic won a race in Ireland that same month. Of the North American horses, Aigue Marine (GB) won the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes at 1 3/8 miles in July and may be able to run well. Recent allowance winner Songoficeandfire won at the 1 ½-mile distance of the Long Island, and if she’s able to step up to this level has potential to post the upset.
Meri Shika (FR) is one of six horses among 14 (including the two also-eligibles) that have won at the mile and one-half distance of the Long Island Handicap. The win came three races back in the Flaming Page Stakes in Canada. Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson rode Meri Shika for the first time that day and rides her again in this race. Although well beaten when fourth and ninth in two starts since that win, Meri Shika earned a strong 110 Equibase Speed Figure in the fourth place finish in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes, which is the second best last-race figure in the field. Facing much easier competition than in her most recent start in the E. P. Taylor Stakes, Meri Shika could return to winning form in the Long Island.
Although she has never run in a stakes race to date, Songoficeandfire must be considered a contender if she gets in from the also-eligible list. Running the 1 ½-mile distance of the Long Island for the first time last month, Songoficeandfire closed nicely to lead by two lengths in the stretch and drew off to win by nearly four at the end. Flattered when the third place finisher from that race came back to win recently and with improving to do off the 92 Equibase Speed Figure Songoficeandfire also benefits from the fact she is trained by Hall-of-Fame conditioner Bill Mott and as such she must be given a good deal of respect as a contender.
Danza Cavallo (FR) makes her U.S. debut, now in the care of top trainer Chad Brown, who saddled three horses to victory last weekend in Breeders' Cup races. Danza Cavallo won a listed stakes at 1 ¼ miles on turf when last seen in July and has been in steady training for Brown in the past month so appears fit and ready to run well. Never worse than second in four tries at 1 ½ miles, Danza Cavallo gets the services of jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., which provides more reason she should run well.
Hellenistic won her last two races in Ireland before coming to the states, at distances of 1 3/8 miles and 1 ¼ miles. Those being her only two tries on grass, she has a chance to extend her perfect record on the surface, although the competition she faced in Ireland wasn't nearly as tough as that faced by many of the others. However, she is a lightly raced three-year-old and has potential to improve and compete at this level.
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Photo by Adam Coglianese/NYRA
The rest of the field, with their best representative Equibase Speed Figures, is Angegreen (ITY) (88), Ault Alliance (IRE) (93), Bohemian Dance (IRE) (108), Embarr (105), Giant Shadow (91), Invading Humor (102), Maximova (102), Tabreed (GB) (99) and Viva Rafaela (BRZ) (115).
My Selections:
Meri Shika
Songoficeandfire
Danza Cavallo
Hellenistic
$200,000 Long Island Handicap
Saturday, Aqueduct, Race 7, 3:14 p.m. ET
1 ½ miles, turf, fillies and mares, 3 year-olds and older
PP
Horse
Jockey
Weight
Trainer
1
Aigue Marine (GB)
John Velazquez
118
Christophe Clement
2
Viva Rafaela (BRZ)
Joe Bravo
119
Todd Pletcher
3
Tabreed (GB)
Cornelio Velasquez
115
Christophe Clement
4
Maximova (NY)
Manuel Franco
115
Christophe Clement
5
Danza Cavallo (FR)
Irad Ortiz Jr.
114
Chad Brown
6
Hellenistic (KY)
Angel Arroyo
113
Dermot Weld
7
Giant Shadow (KY)
Eriluis Vaz
112
Edward Graham
8
Invading Humor (NY)
Jose Ortiz
115
Bernardo Callejas
9
Meri Shika (FR)
Emma-Jayne Wilson
115
Roger Attfield
10
Auld Alliance (IRE)
Angel Serpa
115
Graham Motion
11
Embarr (VA)
Dylan Davis
115
Susan Cooney
12
Angegreen (ITY)
Channing Hill
116
Wayne Catalano
13
Songoficeandfire (KY)
Junior Alvarado
111
Bill Mott
14
Bohemian Dance (IRE)
Kendrick Carmouche
112
Michael Dilger