Rematch in Great White Way

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Kadens Courage and Kosciuszko have improved significantly since they finished a well-beaten third and fourth in an Aug. 17 maiden race at Saratoga.

The two juvenile colts will be major contenders Sunday in a seemingly open $150,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion series at Aqueduct.

A dozen horses were entered in the six-furlong race restricted to progeny of New York-based stallions, though Cartwheelin Lulu was expected to scratch to run in Saturday’s Fifth Avenue division restricted to 2-yearold fillies, according to trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

Kadens Courage will be making his sixth start in the Great White Way and his third start in 30 days. He is coming off an 11 1/4-length maiden victory here Nov. 30, having prevailed in an early pace duel with Bebe Banker – who is entered back in here – and drawn away under right-handed urging from Irad Ortiz Jr.

Kadens Courage’s trainer, Rudy Rodriguez, said he ran the colt back that day because he was disappointed with how Kadens Courage ran when third behind Le General on Nov. 17. Le General came back to win a first-level allowance here Dec. 9.

“I know [Le General] is a pretty good horse, but, man, I thought he could have finished a good second ... but he finished a bad third,” Rodriguez said. “He came back good and he’s acting the same way. The owners really want to run, so I’m going to take a good look at the race and see what we look like.”

Kadens Courage, a son of Frost Giant out of the mare Subtle Sweetness, is a full brother to Loki’s Vengeance, who won three New York Stallion series races – all at Aqueduct – during his career.

After finishing 2 1/4 lengths behind Kadens Courage in the Aug. 17 race at Saratoga, Kosciuszko finished second in a maiden race on turf, and won an off-the-turf maiden race by 6 1/4 lengths before finishing a dull third behind La Fuerza in the Notebook Stakes on Nov. 25.

“He was sick for eight days between his maiden win and the Notebook,” trainer Pat Quick said. “I think that may have taken a little bit out of him for that race. Coming up to this we haven’t missed anything, so he should be a little sharper.”

Quick also thought Kosciuszko worked too fast six days prior to the Notebook.

There are three maidens in the field, including Blindwillie McTell, who finished second behind Le General and six lengths in front of Kadens Courage when racing a bit greenly in the stretch of that Nov. 17 maiden race.

Trainer Debra Breed has entered the uncoupled entry of Invaluable Will, a closer, and Chicken Valley Rd, who possesses early speed.

Riken, cutting back to the distance of his lone win, and Thorny Tale, fourth as the favorite in the Notebook, add to the contentiousness of this field.