Speed may rule in pair of allowances

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A pair of allowance/optional claiming races highlight Friday’s eight-race card at Aqueduct, and there is a common theme to the probable favorites in both: Catch them if you can.

New Year’s Wish seeks her fourth consecutive victory in a second-level allowance/ optional $62,500 claiming race for fillies and mares going a mile that goes as race 2. Leah’s Dream seeks her fourth win from her last five starts when she heads a field of five females in a New York-bred second-level allowance/optional $45,000 claiming race going six furlongs in race 5.

New Year’s Wish has reeled off three consecutive victories here this winter, all in frontrunning fashion. Overall, New Year’s Wish is 4 for 4 over Aqueduct’s main track, her last two at a mile.

Linda Rice, the trainer of New Year’s Wish, said the 4-yearold daughter of New Year’s Day greatly benefited from an extended break after two dull efforts last spring.

“She was really off form last spring. I was in disbelief that she wasn’t a better horse than that,” Rice said. “I was hoping some time would bring her back the right direction and it certainly has.

“She clearly liked the Aqueduct surface,” Rice continued. “I’d be surprised if it was just the surface that brought her back into good form.”

Friday, New Year’s Wish will break from the rail under Manny Franco, who takes over for Junior Alvarado. Alvarado rides the other Rice entrant, the late-running Crimson Frost.

Crimson Frost has already won this condition twice, once for the allowance condition and once for the claiming price. Last out, she finished second to Jump Ruler when offered for the tag on Feb. 15.

Jump Ruler has been part of a solid winter for trainer Kelly Breen. Jump Ruler has a win and two seconds at this meet, all in this condition when not in for the tag. She is eligible to be claimed on Friday.

Play in with the boys, who won this condition going six furlongs on Dec. 20, is now in for the claiming price after two 10-length defeats in New Yorkbred stakes.

Tanya’s Gem, who has already been beaten by three of the horses in here, completes the field.

Leah’s Dream will be the horse to catch in race 5.

The key to Leah’s Dream’s success is the break. She has won four of her last five starts, with her lone loss coming on Dec. 14 when she stumbled at the start and had to be hard used to make the lead.

Going deeper in her form, her other bad races were when she had difficulty at the break.

Seven of Leah’s Dream’s eight wins have come over a wet track and conditions seem to favor a dry surface on Friday.

Let me take this call comes off a three-quarter-length victory when blinkers were added for the first time. Two back she finished fifth in this condition when returning from a lengthy layoff and catching a wet track.