In the Lee better rested for turf route

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It seems like Mother Nature has approved of the New York Racing Association adding a second turf course at Aqueduct. In November, Aqueduct ran 70 turf races, with only 13 forced onto the main track.

The good weather has continued into December, allowing the racing office to card five turf races on both Saturday and Sunday. In fact, Sunday’s late pick four is constituted of all grass races, topped by a secondlevel allowance/optional $62,500 claimer for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the new outer turf course.

Trainer Shug McGaughey looks to complete a successful Aqueduct fall meet when he sends out In the Lee as the horse to beat in what should be a six-horse field. In the Lee, a daughter of Tapit, has made all four of her starts at Laurel Park. She won her first two turf starts, sandwiched around a loss in an off-the-turf race, before running fourth, beaten 1 1/4 lengths by Rymska, in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Oaks on Sept. 30.

In that most recent race, In the Lee was running back in 15 days off a win and was compromised by being three wide on the first turn and down the backstretch and four wide in the stretch.

“I ran her back quick,” said McGaughey, who has gone 4-1-5 from 16 starters this meet at Aqueduct. “I think that probably cost her a little bit, and she had a little bit of a rough trip.”

In the Lee, who breaks from the rail, figures to be prominent early under Jose Ortiz, who is riding his last card of the year Sunday. Ortiz is slated to undergo knee surgery on Tuesday and is expected to be out until mid-to-late January.

Trainer Christophe Clement sends out the uncoupled entry of Taralena and Al Hayyah. Taralena makes her first start since running fourth in this condition going 1 1/4 miles at Belmont Park in June. She has had chronic ankle issues but did win a first-level allowance race off an eight-month layoff in May. Al Hayyah comes off a win at Delaware Park.

KEY CONTENDERS

In the Lee, by Tapit Last 3 Beyers: 85-82-60

◗ McGaughey said this filly is still figuring things out, noting that when she got up to the leader in her Sept. 15 allowance win, “she had to figure out she had to go and run by her.”

“I think she was still green,” he said. “I’ll be interested to see how she runs.”

Taralena, by Arch Last 3 Beyers: 84-83-78

◗ Scored a front-running allowance win off the bench going 1 1/4 miles at Belmont, beating Glory to Kitten and Al Hayyah, both of whom are in this field.

◗ Finished her 3-year-old season in 2016 with a runnerup finish to Try Your Luck in the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs.

Glory to Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy Last 3 Beyers: 83-79-83

◗ Held on to beat two solid rivals, Palinodie and Silver Shaker, in a first-level allowance going 1 1/4 miles at Belmont on Oct. 26.

◗ Has won her lone start at 1 1/8 miles, the distance of this race.