Rice appears poised for more stakes success

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Of the 12 stakes run for fillies and mares this winter at Aqueduct, trainer Linda Rice has won six and finished second in two more. She didn’t have runners in the other four.

Saturday, Rice looks well stocked to continue her success when she sends out Split Time and Breezy Gal in a field of five New York-bred fillies and mares entered in the $100,000 Maddie May Stakes going one mile. The Maddie May will go as race 4 on a 10-race card that begins at 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

Split Time has shown her versatility winning a pair of one-turn mile races over the main track here this winter. On Jan. 18, she won from the outside post in an eight-horse field, stalking four wide over a good track while rolling to a 6 1/4-length score. On Feb. 16, she broke from the rail, pressed one other speed horse over a sealed, sloppy track, and won by 5 1/4 lengths. Her final quarter of 28.69 seconds that day wasn’t impressive, but she was basically eased in the final furlong by jockey Junior Alvarado.

“I don’t think they were the strongest races in the world,” Rice said. “She certainly performed well. We’re excited to give her another go, though the race is much tougher.”

Rice is wheeling Breezy Gal back two weeks after she won a maiden race by 13 1/4 lengths going a mile here on March 9.

“It’s back on short rest but it was too attractive a spot – we thought we needed to be in it,” Rice said.

The main foe figures to be Under Suspicion, who came off a five-month layoff to win a sixfurlong maiden race by a halflength on Feb. 3. Under Suspicion will break from the rail under Manny Franco.

Our Super Nova, an allowance winner going a mile here on March 11, and Cause We Are Loyal, winner of the Seeking the Ante Stakes last summer at Saratoga, complete the field.

KEY CONTENDERS

Split Time, by Take Charge Indy Last 3 Beyers: 62-65-63

◗ Though her races haven’t been particularly fast, she has won her last two without having felt the leather of her jockey’s whip.

◗ Likely to stalk the pacesetting Under Suspicion, who breaks directly to her inside.

◗ This winter, Rice has won the Ladies, Busanda, Busher, Biogio’s Rose, Broadway, and Correction – all stakes for fillies and mares.

Under Suspicion, by Friend Or Foe Last 3 Beyers: 71-65-55

◗ Ran twice in 13 days in Saratoga before being sidelined to undergo surgery to correct a breathing problem, according to trainer Phil Serpe.

◗ Came off a 157-day layoff to win a six-furlong maiden race.

◗ She will try to carry her speed a mile.

“Should be right up her alley,” Serpe said. “We never intended on her being a sprinter. That’s just where we were with her when we started.”

Breezy Gal, by The Factor Beyers: 72-36

◗ Broke on top and widened her advantage at every call in 13 1/4-length maiden win on March 9.