Westwood stepping up gradually in allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though short fields abound on Thursday’s eight-race program at Aqueduct, the two co-featured allowance races came up somewhat competitive.

Both allowance races are in a pick six sequence that begins the day with a $17,942 carryover after not being hit on Sunday.

The fifth race, a second-level allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs for older males, is the next race for the regally bred Westwood, who galloped to a 2 3/4-length first-level allowance win on Jan. 20 earning a gaudy 105 Beyer Speed Figure. Westwood is a gelding by Bernardini out of the two-time champion mare Ashado.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said this race came up as an extra and he thought it made sense to gradually move the gelding up in company rather than go immediately to a stakes race.

“We can do something later,” McLaughlin said. “Because he’s a gelding you might as well try and be 4-5 for $69,000. He worked well the other day and came out of it in good shape.”

Spartiatis, winner of last year’s Grade 3 Tom Fool, returns from a six-month layoff and makes his first start for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. The horse was previously trained by Leon Blusiewiecz, who retired from training last fall.

Spartiatis has not run well in four starts since the Tom Fool, but Rodriguez has solid numbers starting horses for the first time.

Still Krz is an example of how not to get carried away by one freaky-good Beyer Speed Figure. Last March, he won a second-level allowance by 4 1/2 lengths and earned a 108 Beyer Speed Figure. He is winless in four starts since. Still Krz did finish second in this same condition on Dec. 22, beaten by Skyler’s Scramjet, who came back to win an allowance race here on Saturday. Still Krz and Spartiatis are both in for the optional $62,500 claiming tag.

The eighth race, a $90,000 open condition allowance, is competitive if only because the 1 1/4-mile distance of the race could be challenging for some.

In his youth, Turco Bravo won stakes going 1 3/4 miles and 1 3/8 miles. But he is winless the last 18 months, though his third-place finish in the Jazil Stakes going 1 1/8 miles was a solid effort that would make him competitive here.

Run for James ships in from Parx coming off an 11 3/4-length allowance win going a two-turn mile on Jan. 15.

“I really think he’ll relish the distance,” trainer Steve Klesaris said. “He’s got the right body type. It’s certainly a step up in company. This will be the best field he’s faced to date, but I was not afraid of the distance to give it a try.”

Klesaris noted that when Run for James finished last in an allowance race at Parx on Nov. 26, the race was run over “a really dead track which he didn’t negotiate.”

Harlan Punch, Turco Bravo, Mills, and Testosterstone are all in for the optional claiming price of $100,000.