Spring meet business helps lift winter blues

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After a harsh winter weather-wise and at the entry box, the New York Racing Association enjoyed a pleasant April at Aqueduct.

All-sources handle for 13 days of racing at Aqueduct from April 6 through 22 was approximately $95.7 million, up 14.7 percent compared with the corresponding 13-day period in 2017, when Aqueduct handled $83.4 million.

The uptick in business helped stem the tide of a dismal winter impacted by extreme cold and snow that prompted seven straight cancellations to begin the year. Total all-sources handle at Aqueduct for 54 cards run from Jan. 1 through Sunday was $322,323,808, down 15.1 percent from 2017 when 60 cards were run at Aqueduct from Jan. 1 through April 22 and handle was $379,859,331. Average daily handle at Aqueduct was $5,968,959 in 2018, down 5.7 percent from the 2017 average of $6,330,988.

Ontrack handle for the first four months at Aqueduct was $38,389,865, down from $46,459,386 in 2017.

With a second turf course and decent weather in April, Aqueduct conducted all 47 turf races it carded over 13 days, not having to take a single one off the turf due to inclement weather. In April 2017, when Aqueduct operated with just one turf course, it held 30 turf races with only two taken off.

The availability of the turf helped Aqueduct average 7.29 horses per race in April, up from 6.79 in April 2017. From Jan. 1 through March 31 – when only dirt racing was conducted – field size was 6.91, down from 7.34 during last year’s winter meet.

Martin Panza, NYRA’s senior director of racing operations, said it was too early to predict what next year’s winter schedule would look like.

“We’ll sit down, look at the numbers, brainstorm with NYTHA,” said Panza, referring to the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. “We got to get dirt horses to stay in New York in the winter.”

Trainer Chad Brown won all three races in which he had runners at Aqueduct on Sunday to complete a spectacular spring meet, winning 15 races from 39 starters to capture his first spring trainer title. Linda Rice finished second with 11 wins.

Irad Ortiz Jr. also had a three-win day Sunday and won his second straight Aqueduct spring riding title with 24 wins.

Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables was leading owner with five wins.

Significant Form sharp in return

All three of trainer Chad Brown’s wins Sunday at Aqueduct came with horses returning from a layoff, none more impressive than Significant Form, who galloped to a frontrunning 6 1/4-length victory in the $100,000 Memories of Silver Stakes.

Significant Form was making her first start since a good fourth inlast year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.85 and earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure. She will be pointed to the Grade 3, $200,000 Wonder Again Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on June 7 at Belmont Park, which will be a steppingstone to the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks at 1 1/4 miles on July 7.

“I’m confident that filly will stay a mile and a quarter,” Brown said.

Rushing Fall may try Ascot

While Brown has his plans set for Significant Form, things are more fluid for Rushing Fall, the undefeated winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Brown said Monday that Rushing Fall did not ship back to New York on Sunday as scheduled and instead remained at Keeneland after winning the Appalachian opening weekend. Brown said Rushing Fall is “50-50” to run in the Grade 3 Edgewood at Churchill Downs on May 4. That race could be used as a stepping-stone to the Group 1 Coronation at Royal Ascot on June 23.

“It’s being discussed,” said Brown, who trains Rushing Fall for Bob Edwards.

Another spot for Rushing Fall could be the Penn Mile against boys on June 2 as a bridge to the Belmont Oaks.

First two Belmont cards drawn

Weekend Hideaway will make his fifth consecutive appearance in the $100,000 Affirmed Success Stakes on Friday’s opening day of the 54-day Belmont Park springsummer meet.

Weekend Hideaway won the 2016 Affirmed Success after finishing third in 2014 and seventh in 2015. Last year, Weekend Hideaway finished fourth, beaten three-quarters of a length.

Weekend Hideaway will break from the rail in a field of six as the 124-pound highweight under Luis Saez.

There will be 10 races Saturday at Belmont topped by $125,000 Elusive Quality for older horses on turf. A seemingly wide-open field of 10 has been entered, including the 9-year-old New York-bred millionaire Kharafa, second in the Elusive Quality last year.

First post at Belmont Park will be 1:30 p.m. on a regular basis.