While Night Right Stables may be bringing ” Sexy Back ” to Aqueduct for his opener of the season, Mb Stables has been winning every other season since 2016, and he is hoping this duo will work to bring home a victory.
- The Winkfield- Purse $100.000
- Aqueduct Racetrack- For Three Year olds
- Seven furlongs in distance- Main Track
- February 8th, 2020
Having to break from the two outside post for this affair, Mb Stables will be sending out Ngannou and Groun for this event, with giving the nod to Ngannou with his 50% win percentage. Trainer sent out a pair of runners two seasons ago taking the top two honors at the wire, while sharing the runner-up position with Gdp Inc’s Jolly Sim.
So here is this season’s field of ten;
1 Batman G ( Robeth )… Trainer is still winless in 24 starts this season, and now is hoping the large investment he made purchasing this colt pays off. Its his first start of the season and does get two pounds added off his Kingarvie win, and coming into this event with two victories and the rail post should aid in that goal. He may be prepping for a Canadian TC shot this season.
2 Useless Debate ( Gdp Inc )…Trainer has finished runner-up in this event in the past two seasons and now his hopes are pressed firmly with this sophomore. Did take a shot at the $400 RP Springboard Mile to gain traction for the Derby, but finished three back in fifth. This is a nicer field, and should gain respect with the betting public. Bute gets added.
3 El Indio Pajoqui ( M a r Racing )… First time covering this trainer here at the SRF for me, broke his maiden back in mid July, and has been struggling since to return to the winners enclosure. His last two attempts were at the stakes level, but both only produced ninth place finished after the addition of Lasix. That has been removed and the blinkers and roll go on here. Hopefully this helps his chances today.
4 Sexy Back ( Night Rider Stables )… Now that I have the Justin Timberlake song stuck in my head, this bay colt out of Aggravation has been showing that he likes to be the speed on the frontend, but has failed to maintain it down the stretch. When he tries a late rally, he cant make up the necessary ground to get the victory. Maybe a midpack effort will pay dividends by splitting the different between the two.
5 Serpent King ( Rampage Stable )…Waited till August to get his juvenile campaign started, and once the blinkers were added, it was obvious to this trainer that it put his focus on the victory. Won his last two starts to close out 2019, now is hoping the added furlong over those events may give him an even more impressive win. First stakes try but I like his chances to bring home a share.
6 Action Jackson ( South Beach Racing )…With just two days left in the season, this then juvenile would finally break his maiden with his third effort. All three were in restricted Florida affairs and this will be his first attempt in NY. Trainer is firing at 28% this season and this will be his first try of the year for a stakes win. Should stalk the leader, then hope to spring home down the lane. Hopefully he can add a whole lot of Jacksons to the bank. Don’t discount too early.
7 Lock Away The Key ( Fractious )…Opened the season with a run at this years Limehouse stakes, he was caught in an upfront battle with rail runner Operation Filth ( Mb Stables ), and that allowed for a late runner to hit the mark leaving him in third. Trainer may opt for a different approach to this event, and if he can save a little for the stretch run, it may be a totally productive finish. Has a nice prep here four days prior.
8 Steed ( Aer Stables )…Trainer has fired quickly out of the gate at the stakes level this season with a 25% win ratio for stakes, and a even better 36% win ratio for Graded affairs. This runner broke his maiden in his opener of the season and went under the knife in hopes of continuing the winning effort. Has been working at PRX leading up to this event, and hopefully he will be ready to make the top three her. Trainer going over the 10K mark last year in earnings has definitely lit the fire!
9 Ngannou ( Mb Stables )… First of two runners for this trainer, is coming off a five length victory against OpClm30 company over at TUP in his opener, and that kind of separation from the field deserves to be considered here. Has a bullet work over this oval in the morning at five furlongs, so this one looks ready to fly. Could this be Winkfield victory number three for this trainer? Like his chances.
10 Grond ( Mb Stables )… Will be interesting if he will be sent to the front to control the pace for his stablemate here. Could be unlikely as he does seem to prefer to make a late charge to the line, and the duo may very well challenge each other in the lane. Has gone farther in his two previous events, so instructions are the key as to when his rider will send him home. Should definitely be mixing it up here.
Picks- 9-1-8
Duffer
Added Note: I usually like to add a slight review about trainers who I have never covered in the past. Surprising to me is that M a r Racing has been around since 2016 and we haven”t crossed paths. Since his first victory back on his third day of racing here at HRP with a horse by the appropriate name of Errand Of Mercy, M a r Racing has been slowly progressing as a trainer here. It is definite that he or she has caught the racing bug, and since that first win, has added an additional 152 victories. While it has been a couple of seasons since 2017 when he managed to capture victories in the Plum Pretty at PRX and the Krantz Memorial Stakes at the Fairgrounds, he continues to battle each year and to enjoy the thrill of racing and competing. While he remains winless this season, he did manage to go runner-up in this years $150 Martha Washington affair with Dorilinda, earning four points and placing her presently in 17th in the KYO qualifying race, so I wish him nothing but the best with that filly this season. Its trainer with this kind of determination and dedication that make this game what it is today.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
