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Caitlinhergrtness seeks stakes success in $150K Tempted

by Ryan Martin

Siena Farm and WinStar Farm’s Caitlinhergrtness will try stakes company for the first time in Sunday’s 49th running of the listed $150,000 Tempted, a one-turn mile for juvenile fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the Ontario-bred Omaha Beach bay dueled to a game third-place finish on debut sprinting seven furlongs on September 3 at Saratoga Race Course. Caitlinhergrtness followed with a pace pressing half-length score last out when stretched out to a one-turn mile on September 28 at Belmont at the Big A.

She has breezed back three times since, including a half-mile effort in 49.80 on October 22 over the Belmont Park dirt training track.

“She’s a really classy filly,” said Pletcher’s Belmont-based assistant Byron Hughes. “She’s easy to train and easy on herself. She’s real laid back and she came out of her last race is great shape. Her weight and her coat look good so we’re expecting her to run well once again.”

The $375,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Belatrix, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-placed Dogtag.

Caitlinhergrtness will leave from post 7 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez.

New York-bred Enfuega [post 4, Manny Franco] earned a 67 Beyer Speed Figure for her gate-to-wire debut score against fellow state-breds traveling 6 1/2-furlongs here on September 28.

With Manny Franco up, the Flameaway bay broke inward from post 5-of-10 but quickly made the lead, shaking off outside pressure and drawing clear from the eighth pole en route to a 4 1/4-length score in a final time of 1:17.95.

Trained and co-owned by Jeremiah Englehart with Legion Racing, Gainesway Stable, Sheri Greenberg Racing and Christopher Meyer, Enfuega was purchased for $180,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Sale. She is out of the Maclean’s Music mare Gran Lucky Girl, who is a half-sister to stakes winner After the Tone.

Harold Lerner and Team D’s Vino Rouge [post 9, Dylan Davis] enters from a second-out graduation on October 1 here in a one-turn mile off-the turf event for trainer Anthony Dutrow.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez guided the Vino Rosso dark bay through her first two outings, rallying from last-of-9 to finish fourth on debut traveling 1 1/16-miles over firm Spa turf on August 13 ahead of her close-up win last out.

The $180,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the Arch mare Seeking the Blue.

Rounding out the field are maiden winners Shimmering Allure [post 1, Junior Alvarado] for trainer Kenny McPeek; the George Weaver-trained Caress [post 2, Javier Castellano]; the Brittany Russell-trained Perfectly Wicked [post 3, Jairo Rendon]; Belle’s Blue Bell [post 5, Javier Castellano]; for trainer Carlos David; A Primera Vista [post 6, Carol Cedeno] for owner-trainer Kerri Raven; Vicountess [post 8, Jose Ortiz] for conditioner Todd Beattie; and Don’t Tell Kelly [post 10, Kevin Gomez] for trainer Edward Allard.

The Tempted is slated as Race 8 on Sunday’s nine-race card which also features the $135,000 Pumpkin Pie in Race 2 and the $150,000 Nashua in Race 3. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of every day of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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