Quezon, Absatootly at it again

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – On Friday, the New York Racing Association will make a third attempt to conduct the first running of the $100,000 La Verdad Stakes for New Yorkbred female sprinters at Aqueduct.

Named for the champion female sprinter of 2015, the La Verdad was originally carded for Jan. 6, but that card was canceled due to extreme cold following a snowstorm the previous day. It was rescheduled for Jan. 12, but that card was canceled due to heavy fog after two races were run.

Friday, the forecast calls for dry conditions and temperatures in the upper 30s.

Quezon and Absatootly remain the two protagonists in the La Verdad, at seven furlongs, as they meet for the fifth straight time dating back to last August at Saratoga. Quezon has gotten the better of Absatootly in three of those four matchups, most recently finishing first in the Dec. 9 Garland of Roses while Absatootly checked in third. Absatootly beat Quezon when the two ran 1-2 in the Iroquois at Belmont on Oct. 21.

That day, Absatootly rallied from last in a five-horse field to run down Quezon. In the Garland of Roses, Absatootly got caught up in a pace duel from which Quezon benefited. While trainer Charlton Baker would prefer to see Absatootly come from off the pace, he realizes that may not be possible Friday.

“It’s a tough race to take back,” Baker said. “There’s no legitimate speed in there. You got to stay in position and hopefully finish good.”

Quezon drew post 6 the first two times entries for the La Verdad were drawn. Friday, she will break from post 2 under Joe Rocco Jr.

Holiday Disguise, unraced since May 29, is entered but may run only if a quarantine of the Belmont Park barn she resides in is lifted by Friday. A horse who had been stabled in that barn tested positive for equine herpesvirus on Jan. 9 and the barn was placed under quarantine the following day. That horse, since isolated in another barn, was to be retested on Wednesday, and racing officials are hoping to have the results back by Friday morning.

KEY CONTENDERS

Quezon, by Tiz Wonderful Last 3 Beyers: 92-97-93

◗ Very consistent mare has run back to her best figures of 2016 since getting blinkers for the final three races of 2017.

“Blinkers certainly made some change mentally and brought her numbers back close to where they were,” trainer Robert Ribaudo said.

Bee Noteworthy, by Read the Footnotes Last 3 Beyers: 82-78-64

◗ Earned the best speed figure of her career winning a division of the New York Stallion Series going seven furlongs over Aqueduct’s main track on Nov. 12.

◗ After drawing inside the first two times this race was carded, Bee Noteworthy will break from post 7 under Kendrick Carmouche.

Absatootly, by Mineshaft Last 3 Beyers: 85-98-80

◗ Though her best race came when she rallied from last in the Iroquois, she also has won on the lead, and the early lead could be hers if jockey Rafael Hernandez wants it.

◗ She is winless in three tries at seven furlongs.