Aqueduct

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PRICEY PHAROAH COLT DEBUTS AT BIG A 1st-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 12:20p.m. Centennial Farms went to $500,000 at Keeneland September to acquire KHAFRE (American Pharoah) and he debuts in this spot for Jimmy Jerkens. The chestnut fired back-to-back bullets leading up to this test, most recently covering a half-mile in :47 1/5 (1/40) over the Belmont training track. A half-sibling to SW Plentiful (Harlan's Holiday), Khafre's second dam is GSW Spring Meadow (Meadowlake). TJCIS PPs

After a horse reportedly named after a racist slur won the first race at Aqueduct Jan. 8, reaction on social media and throughout the industry was swift to denounce the name and trainer Eric Guillot, who had posted a picture of the horse and its name days earlier on social media. The 3-year-old gelding by Uncle Mo, who won his debut Friday, was named Grape Soda, a racist stereoptype directed at African Americans. A Tweet on January 1 on Eric Guillot's Twitter feed indicated that he had been named after...

Sent off as part of an entry at odds of 13-4, The Estate of Paul Pompa Jr.'s Carillo (Union Rags) overcame a bit of a sluggish start and an overland run around the far turn to graduate at first asking, earning the 'TDN Rising Star' designation in the process. Squeezed back a bit at the break, the homebred trailed early before improving in traffic to sit midfield as they hit the turn. Consigned to a wide trip around the bend, Carillo rallied deep into the stretch and sustained a long...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. announced the Empire 6 wager will offer a daily mandatory payout in the month of January beginning with Aqueduct's New Year's Day card, which is highlighted by the 151st renewal of the Jerome S., a one-turn mile for sophomores offering 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers. First post on Friday's nine-race card is 12:20 p.m. EST, with the Empire 6 set to kick off in Race 4 (1:50 p.m.) Featuring a $0.20 bet minimum and 20% takeout, the Empire 6 wager...

5th-Aqueduct, $80,000, Msw, 12-19, 2yo, 6f, 1:13.58, ft, 5 1/4 lengths. BY GEORGE (c, 2, Into Mischief--Phoenician Moon {SW}, by Malibu Moon), given a 5-1 chance in this debut run for a barn firing on all cylinders with its firsters, was hustled out from his rail draw and maintained a narrow advantage through a :23.23 opening quarter and :47.64 half-mile. The $190,000 KEESEP yearling purchase took no prisoners from there and bounded clear impressively in the lane to don cap and gown by 5 1/4 lengths over Too Boss (El...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency SIX-FIGURE MEDAG COLT MAKES FIRST START AT TAMPA 3rd-TAM, $27.5K, Msw, 2yo, 1m 40yds, 1:12 p.m. Godolphin's NEW DAWN (Medaglia d'Oro), a $600,000 KEESEP buy, will face the starter for the first time Saturday at Tampa. She is out of SW Wait Til Dawn (Giant's Causeway), who is a full-sister to GSW Excited, who in turn is the dam of SW & MGSP Thrilled (Uncle Mo). This is also the family of MGISW Spain (Thunder Gulch). TJCIS PPs   PLETCHER UNVEILS PRICEY 'CHROME' COLT 5th-AQU,...

Aqueduct and Laurel both canceled their race cards Thursday after a winter storm hit the east coast Wednesday evening and continued into Thursday morning with rain, snow and heavy winds. In New York snow totals of 9 to 12 inches were expected with wind gusts reaching 50mph. There was also a coastal flooding warning for Queens. Racing will resume at Aqueduct Friday with first post at 12:20 p.m. Living racing also resumes in Maryland Friday with first post at 12:25 p.m.

Kendrick Carmouche registered his first-ever riding title for a New York Racing Association meet, notching 23 victories to pace all jockeys for the 18-day fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack that ran from Nov. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 6. Christophe Clement tallied 16 wins to lead all trainers, while Klaravich Stables and Repole Stables each campaigned five winners to finish as co-leading owners. Carmouche, a mainstay on the NYRA circuit, earned his first NYRA riding crown by registering a 23-18-14 record in 123 mounts with earnings of more than $1.5 million....

True Timber (Mineshaft) has been knocking at the door of a Grade I win throughout his career, including in-the-money finishes in the last two renewals of the GI Cigar Mile H. The Calumet Farm runner broke through at the highest level in a big way at Aqueduct Saturday, romping in the mud to take this year's edition of the prestigious Cigar Mile. With his last victory coming in a Belmont optional claimer in September of 2018, True Timber was overlooked at 7-1 in this event, which lost three contenders Saturday...

The New York Racing Association released their COVID-19 health and safety protocols for jockeys during the 2020/21 Aqueduct winter meet, which will open Thursday, Dec. 10 and run through Sunday, Mar. 28. In order to mitigate risk and reduce the spread of COVID-19, Aqueduct will be closed to riders that are not regular members of the NYRA jockey colony as of Dec. 31. To account for NYRA's 10-day holiday break from Dec. 21 through December 30, jockeys interested in being included in the regular NYRA jockey colony must contact NYRA...

'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) did not look like a winner through the first mile of Aqueduct's GII Demoiselle S., but turned things around late with a surprisingly strong rally to keep her perfect record in tact. Away well from her rail draw, the 2-5 favorite settled in a ground-saving third as an eager Traffic Lane took control, clicking off a :23.69 first quarter with Juddmonte homebred Millefeuille (Curlin) pressing from second. Losing some traction as the half went in :48.50, the $1.05-million KEESEP buy was passed by Malibu Curl...

Sharp Starr (Munnings) became the second New York-bred to defeat open company in a graded event at Aqueduct Saturday, defeating her elders in the GIII Go for Wand H. Co-favored at 6-5, the Barry Schwartz homebred pressed from second, glued to the outside hip of leader Portal Creek (Shanghai Bobby) through opening splits of :23.26 and :46.72. Scrubbed on by Jose Ortiz turning for home, the bay was the only one chasing after Portal Creek in the stretch as they pulled well clear of the others. Sharp Starr dug deep...