Saguaro Imposing Favorite in Interborough at Aqueduct

A field of eight line up in the $100,000 Interborough at Aqueduct on Monday.(Photo credit: © George Zilberman | Dreamstime.com)

The Michael Stidham trained Saguaro Row looks like an imposing favorite in Monday’s $100,000 Interborough, a seven-furlong test for fillies and mares that drew a field of eight.

The five-year-old mare is cutting back from a mile where she ran second to Spiced Perfection in the Go For Wand Handicap (G3. She breaks from the two post with Jose Lezcano in the irons.

“I think 6 ½-to-seven furlongs is her sweet spot where she runs her best, so I think the distance is good and she seems to like the track there,” Stidham said. “She came out of her last race in good shape and she’s been at Fair Hill [Maryland]. We left her there in preparation for this race. She had a couple of real nice works and she’s ready to go.”

Her two main threats exit the Garland of Roses which was won by Pauseforthecause. The runner up was Our Circle of Love (5-2) for the Michelle Nevin barn who will beak for the five post with new rider Manny Franco.

New Year’s Wish (7-2) was third in the Garland of Roses and makes her third start off the bench for the Linda Rice barn. She breaks from the five post with jockey Kendrick Carmouche aboard for the first time. The mare has won five of her seven trips over the Aqueduct main track.

2019 Garland of Roses Replay

The Interborough is the eighth race on a nine race card on the special Martin Luther King Jr. Day card.

Let’s head out to Aqueduct for Monday’s featured race of the day:

Aqueduct

Aqueduct Race 8 The Interborough Post time 3:55 ET

2 Saguaro Row 2-1

5 New Year’s Wish 7-2

3 Our Circle of Love 5-2

6 Honor Way 10-1

Saguaro Row

This mare cuts back from a mile here and looks like the legit favorite. The Stidham trainee chased the early pace and could not get by a very sharp Spiced Perfection, who took the field gate to wire over a racing strip that was kind to inside speed that day. Two back at today’s seven-furlong distance the mare made a good late rally to win the Pumpkin Pie here by 4 ¼ lengths and earn a career top speed fig. The third-place finisher in that race was Pink Sands who came back to win the Rampart (G3) in her next outing on Dec. 14 at Gulfstream Park and the fourth-place fisher Last True Love returned to win the Mahoning Distaff on Nov. 25. She owns a solid pace profile throughout and the barn is 23% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from route to sprint. Lezcano picks up the call and is having a strong meeting.

New Year’s Wish

The Rice trainee was off a beat slow last out in the Garland of Roses. She spotted the field a couple of lengths getting off last and made a mild late run to finish third going six furlongs. She was a sharp winner two back off the bench beating Alw-2 optional claimers (for non-winners of three or a race in 2019). The mare has done her best work over the main track here, winning five of her seven trips over the surface. She picks up Carmouche and owns solid early and mid pace numbers. With a better break she figures to be in the mix early.

Our Circle of Love

Making her stakes debut last out in the Garland of Roses she chased the early pace and could not catch the loose on the lead gate to wire winner, settling for the runner up spot and a length ahead of our second choice in here. She beat Alw-1 foes two back in the mud at six furlongs in her fourth try at the condition. She owns the edge in early and mid pace numbers but is 0 for 2 at seven furlongs. Her best shot may be if she is able to shake loose early but that may be tough here.