10 fillies and mares go to the post in Saturday’s $200,000 Long Island Handicap.. (photo credit: © Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com)
A field of 10 will line up on Saturday is the final graded stakes race for the lades on turf at Aqueduct this year, the $200,000 Long Island Handicap (G3) at 1 ½ miles.
Trainers Chad Brown and Christophe Clement will be very busy in the paddock, each saddling three contenders in the race.
Brown will send out Waya (G3) winner Goldy Espony (5-1), E.P. Taylor (G3) third place finisher Rosalind (6-1) and Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) runner up Danza Cavallo. The latter was beaten just a neck in this race last year.
Clement, who won this race last year with Aigue Marine and in 2013 with Inimitable Romanee has a shot of a three-peat. He sends out Courtesan (20-1), Crisolles (5-1) and Walk Close (8-1).
Crisolles has the best shot of among the trio. The filly beat optional claimers last out in her third start since coming to the U.S. Her best career effort came in a runner up finish in the Prix de la Nonette (G2) at Deauville in France last summer.
Saturday’s nine race card at Aqueduct gets underway at 12:20 ET.
Let’s head out to the Big A for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Aqueduct Race 8 The Long Island Handicap (G3) Post time 3:50 ET
3 Danza Cavallo 3-1
9 Crisolles 5-1
1 Goldy Espony 5-1
2 Rosalind 6-1
Danza Cavallo set the early fractions in the Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) last out over soft footing and got run down in the stretch by Stephanie’s Kitten, who returned to win the Breeders’ Cup Fully & Mare Turf (G1) and the fifth place finisher Curvy came back to win the E.P. Taylor (G1) at Woodbine. The eighth place finisher also won next out, taking the Turnback the Alarm (G3) on Oct. 30. The filly has landed in the exacta in five of her six trips at this distance including a tough neck loss in this race last year. She looks the best of the trio that Chad Brown sends out.
Crisolles is one of three in here sent out by the Christophe Clement barn. The filly beat optional claimers last out for her first win since landing in the U.S. and in her third start, winning at 1 3/78 miles. She was third in a Group 3 and second in a Group 2 last year in France. She looks as if she will be able to handle her first trip at today’s distance.
Goldy Espony tracked the early pace and faded to finish ninth last out in the Glen Falls (G3) at the Spa, snapping a three race winning streak. Two back she won the Waya (G3) at today’s distance and the effort was flattered when the third and fifth place finishers came out of the race to win next out. Three back she won the River Memories at Belmont Park in her first trip at 1 ½ miles. She comes back with a two month freshening for the Brown barn that is 30% winners (with a +ROI) with runners coming back off a 46-90 day break.
Wagering:
WIN: Danza Cavallo to win at 5-2 or better.
EXACTA: 3,9 / 1,2,3,9
TRIFECTA: 3,9 / 1,2,3,9 / 1,2,3,8,9
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