Trainer Nakamura Stables has sent out an entry in both of the stakes events on the four race card here at the Big D in hopes of adding a couple more victories. It may be tough for Scam in the earlier Forever Together affair, but if Scarlet And Gray can get back to here winning style in the Algoma Stakes in late August, she will be tough to beat here.
- The Comely ( Gr. III ) Purse $200.000
- Aqueduct Racetrack. For Three year old Fillies
- Mile and one eighth in distance. Main track
- November 29th, 2019
Five runners have come to New York to compete in this seasons running of the Gr. III Comely. As previously mentions, Scarlet And Gray managed to find a three length victory in this seasons Algoma Stakes up at Woodbine, and she would earn herself a very nice 98 SRF figure for her effort, the best against this group, and in my opinion that should give her the edge for the victory. While she did hold the lead early in her most recent mile and an eighth event trying to capture the Gr. III Turn Back The Alarm Hdcp. over this very surface, the experience she gained from that and staying local once again will also help.
Probably the most likely candidate to make sure she works for her victory should come from Aer Stables Test Of Time, who in mid September attempted the Gr. III CT Oaks after being acquired from La Canada Racehorses barn, and while the trainer was hoping for a win, he definitely took home some knowledge from her seventh place finish, remaining just two lengths shy throughout that event. Had tried to steal on the front end in three previous races for her former owner, and it looks like her trainer has made some gains in her morning works. With her lone win over a wet surface, I’d be interested to see how well she could do on the grass after this effort.
The final three runners may all be squaring off to pick up the pieces from this duo down the lane, and it will be a toss up as to who finds the final trifecta share. They consist of Really Healthy ( La Canada Racehorses ), Distorted Express ( D J C Racing Stables ) , and Eye Test ( Axeman ). If I was looking to give anyone out of this trio the nod I would look to Eye Test as he has just made the switch to this owner/trainer, and sometimes the new surrounding tends to spring some life into a younger thoroughbred. She does have a Grade II victory under her saddle blanket when she took home the Summertime Oaks back in late May, and if she can find that edge here, she could make this an interest three horse race to the wire.
With Really Healthy, her numbers have been consistently in the 90’s on the SRF range scale throughout the season. While she has only manage to finish fourth in her two most recent Grade III tries, since dropping to the claiming ranks, she was made the post time favorite in both of those events and captured an OpClm40 affair at SA in October. The rail position will definitely be a plus for this race, and with the smaller field, traffic should not be an issue.
Finally we turn to Distorted Express, and I am starting to feel that every time I cover an event that Dom is sending out a runner, I have been a jinx at him bringing home a suitable effort. Express is coming off an Alw18.2 victory over at Finger Lakes where she has competed in her last three tries, and this will be her first return to the route lengths since she competed in the Black Eye Susan race on Preakness weekend at PIM. While it would have been nice to see a second shaved off her most recent work, here is hoping that this event will be her turn around.
Duffer
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
