By Brian DiDonato
A pair of quick-footed 'TDN Rising Stars' headline a field of seven newly turned sophomores set to square off in Aqueduct's GIII Jerome S. Monday. Shadwell homebred Takaful (Bernardini), even-money on the morning line, belied 12-1 odds when he thrashed maidens by eight lengths sprinting at Belmont Oct. 29. He set a clear pace at odds-on in this venue's nine-panel GII Remsen S. Nov. 26, but weakened tamely in the lane to settle for third behind fellow 'Rising Star' Mo Town (Uncle Mo).
El Areeb (Exchange Rate), meanwhile, figured it all out in career start number three at Laurel Oct. 15 when he cruised home by 8 3/4 lengths over two next-out winners. The Cal Lynch trainee earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure–two points higher than what Takaful received for his first start–for a dominant 5 1/4-length success in the James F. Lewis III S. back in Maryland Nov. 19, but will be making his first start beyond six furlongs here.
“The race is tough,” Takaful's trainer Kiaran McLaughlin told the NYRA notes team. “I think [El Areeb] is fast. I don't know if he clears us or not, but we want to relax a little bit, so he could easily clear us and we could be laying second. I thought after [Jose Ortiz] reached and grabbed [Takaful] and slowed him down in the Remsen, he laid there pretty well, so I think he could rate, but we'll just have to leave that up to Jose and the horse, but I think the Lynch horse is a pretty nice horse, winning easily last time.”
McLaughlin, who took this race in 2007 with Shadwell's Daaher, also saddles True Timber (Mineshaft), who earned his diploma sprinting her second out last time Dec. 10. Todd Pletcher sends out Remsen fourth Win With Pride (Distorted Humor) and Maryland Juvenile Futurity S. third Bonus Points (Majestic Warrior) in search of his first Jerome trophy.
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