Aqueduct is hosting a Valentine’s Day Celebration Saturday, Feb. 9, in Equestris, with a buffet lunch and rose for ladies at $35 per person. Might be the last chance to enjoy a lunch at Big A, as racing could shut down Feb. 14.
Because heavy rains again inundated the “all-weather” synthetic Cushion Track, Santa Anita cancelled yesterday for the third time in four days, sixth time this month, and won’t run today, either; racing is set to resume Thursday.
SECOND RACE: Talk about your sudden form reversals! In two starts last fall, Billy Turner’s 3-year-old filly American Whisper, flashed brief speed going 6½ furlongs on dirt at Belmont, finished seventh beaten 13 lengths at 47-1, then was outrun going a mile on turf at Aqueduct to finish last of nine, beaten 18 lengths at 34-1. Coming off a three-month layoff here at 19-1, American Whisper set the pace under Jean-Luc Samyn, pressed to her outside by Alzehba, Alan Garcia up, favored at 2-1 debuting for Kiaran McLaughlin. Those two dueled around turn to mid-stretch, when Alzehba poked head in front. But American Whisper, no longer the horse that lost previous two starts by length of stretch, was dead game, dug in and came again to prevail.
THIRD RACE: Rick Violette’s Tater Tutt, favored at 6-5 under Mike Luzzi looking for his fifth gate-to-wire score in past six starts, gunned up the rail to take the lead down the backside, pressed by 8-1 Call Me Clash, tracked by 3-2 Serious Fever. Around the turn, Serious Fever loomed boldly under Ramon Dominguez with outside rally, but Tater Tutt cut the corner, shook off Serious Fever and opened up again.
EIGHTH RACE: In $65,000 Turnofthecentury overnight stakes for older New York-breds at a mile-and-sixteenth, R Clear Victory opened a huge lead down the backside under Stewart Elliott, chased by 7-1 Run With the Lark, Norberto Arroyo Jr. up, with 3-5 favorite Run Red Run stalking outside. Turning for home, Run With the Lark and Run Red Run closed the gap. But while Run With the Lark ran past R Clear Victory to take command down stretch, Run Red Run came up empty and faded to fourth.
PICK SIX
Winning numbers: 3-3-5-5-2-12
No winners
7 consolation (5 of 6) each paid $2,256
Carryover: $47,383