Stan the Man leads a field of seven in Saturday’s $125,000 Queen’s County at Aqueduct (Photo credit: © George Zilberman | Dreamstime.com)
The gelding has not run in over six months, but the John Terranova trained Stan the Man appears the one to beat in Saturday’s $125,000 Queen’s County at Aqueduct.
A field of seven will line up to go 1 1/8 miles with Stan the Man the 9-5 morning line favorite. Dylan Davis has the return call and will break from the two post carrying 121 pounds.
The gelding loves the Aqueduct main track with four wins, four seconds and a third in 11 trips.
“He’s a very useful Aqueduct horse,” Terranova said. “We’ve been sitting on go for a while and just were looking for the right place to run him. Everything’s been great. We had him ready for the Fall Highweight but decided to skip after it was postponed. He’s better at this distance than he is sprinting.”
Among his foes is the Peter Miller trained Major Cabbie who ships in from Churchill Downs where last out he was fifth in the Clark (G1), beaten 7 ¼ lengths. The colt is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line.
Junior Alvarado will ride the colt for the first time, breaking from the four post and toting 123 pounds.
Roaming Union may be able to break up a chalky exacta. The Michelle Nevin trainee was second in the slop at Belmont Park last out which was his second start since landing with Nevin via the clam box.
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The Queen’s County is the eighth race on the nine race card on Saturday.
Let’s head out to Aqueduct for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Aqueduct Race 8 The Queen’s County Post time 3:46 ET
2 Stan the Man 9-5
1 Roaming Union 8-1
4 Major Cabbie 5-2
5 Backsideofthemoon 7-2
Stan the Man
The John Terranova trainee returns off a 6 ½ month break and returns to his favorite surface. The gelding was last seen checking in fifth beaten three lengths in the True North (G2) at Belmont Park going 6 ½ furlongs. The winner was Catalina Cruiser, who returned to win the San Diego Handicap (G2) and Pat O’Brien (G2) before running seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). Our top pick has landed in the exacta in eight of his 11 trips over the Big A main track and four of his five wins have come here. He won the Westchester (G2) two back and has a win at nine furlongs, beating Alw-2 optional claimers here back in January. He owns a solid pace profile throughout and is the deserving favorite. The barn is 31% winners with runners coming back off a +180-day layoff.
Roaming Union
This colt pressed the early pace and battled on gamely in the slop in a runner up finish last out in his second start off the claim by the Nevin barn. The colt was claimed for $62,500 out of a second against Alw-2 foes, then as sixth in the Grand Prix American Jockey Club at 1 ½ miles in his first go for the barn. The colt has a couple of wins at nine furlongs, the last coming against $50,000 claimers back in February here. The colt draws the rail and this guy has good tactical speed and figures to be forwardly placed. Decent value here if he goes off near his 8-1 morning line but will likely need a career top to beat this group.
Major Cabbie
Shipping in from Churchill Downs where last out he was fifth in the Clark (G1) which was his stake debut. It took him eight tries to pass his first allowance condition, but he then passed his next two in just four starts. Those last two wins came at Keeneland in gate to wire fashion. His last was his first trip at nine furlongs. He is bred to handle it, by Into Mischief out of a Pine Bluff mare. He is in a better spot here exiting Grade 1 company, but that 5-2 morning line does not get the pulse racing.
