NYRA/Coglianese Photo

Impressive maiden winners square off in G3 Nashua

by Ryan Martin

$125K Zagora and $100K Chelsey Flower set for bumper Sunday card

A competitive field of 10 juveniles has been assembled for Sunday's featured event at Aqueduct Racetrack, the Grade 3, $150,000 Nashua going one mile over the main track.

Sunday's 10-race card at the Big A will also include the $125,000 Zagora at 1 ½ miles on the inner turf and the $100,000 Chelsey Flower for juveniles at one mile on the inner turf, which are both rescheduled from the Closing Day card at Belmont Park, which was canceled following the opening race due to high winds and heavy rainfall. The $100,000 Pumpkin Pie, which was also slated for Closing Day at Belmont, is re-scheduled for Saturday, November 9.

A notable prep for the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen on December 7, the Nashua pays homage to the three-time champion who was crowned 1955 Horse of the Year. Trained by the late Hall of Fame Sunny "Jim" Fitzsimmons, Nashua was second in the Kentucky Derby to Swaps, whom he defeated in a historic match race at the defunct Washington Park in Chicago in August of that year.

Entering the Nashua off an impressive maiden victory is Americanus for trainer Mark Hennig. Owned by Courtlandt Farms, the son of War Front was a 1 ¼-length winner on September 28 over the main track at Belmont Park, where he defeated well-bred rivals Toledo and Mandatory.

"He's been training well. It's a tough spot and the stretch out in distance is always interesting, but we think he's up for the task," Hennig said. "We're optimistic, but that happens when you're one-for-one. He seems versatile in the mornings, so the pace will dictate where he's at early on. I don't think he'll be quite as close as he was last time."

Fresh off a riding title for the fall meet at Belmont Park, jockey Manny Franco will pilot Americanus from post 2.

Trainer Tom Albertrani teamed up with Godolphin to win the 2016 Nashua with Hemsworth, and the trainer-owner combo will be represented this year with impressive maiden winner Spycraft.

The bay son of Discreet Cat led at every point of call in his career debut, which he won by 3 ½ lengths sprinting six furlongs on the Big Sandy on September 21, registering a 77 Beyer Speed Figure.

"He's definitely been on his game and has been sharper since his last race. He's been training forwardly," Albertrani said. "He doesn't necessarily need to be on the front end, we'll just let [jockey] Jose [Lezcano] figure it out."

Spycraft is one of six horses in the field entering fresh off a first-out victory. Ablertrani said the Nashua could determine the top contenders going forward.

"This race could separate a few horses. A lot of them are in the same position where they have only ran once. Hopefully, Spycraft can run the same way he did in his maiden win," Albertrani said.

Spycraft will emerge from post 1.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will look to extend his record of Nashua triumphs to six with Shadwell Stable's Ashaar, who broke his maiden on October 12 at Belmont Park by 2 ½ lengths.

Bred in Kentucky by Colts Neck Farm, the son of Into Mischief is out of the Coronado's Quest broodmare Well Spring, whose dam was two-time Grade 1-winner Chaposa Springs. Ashaar was acquired for $650,000 from last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Ashaar, whose name is an Arabic word for "brave" or "strong", will leave from post 10 under jockey Joe Bravo.

Completing the field are Liveyourbeastlife [post 3, Luis Saez], Polar Bear Pete [post 4, Dylan Davis], Independence Hall [post 5, Jose Ortiz], Lebda [post 6, Trevor McCarthy], Chase Tracker [post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Meru [post 8, Javier Castellano] and Famished [post 9, Junior Alvarado].

In Race 5, Godolphin's Micheline will return to turf in the Chelsey Flower after a Grade 1 start on the main track.

Micheline broke her maiden at second asking with a 1 ¾-length score in the one-mile Sorority on September 11 at Monmouth Park. Trainer Michael Stidham tried her on dirt for the first time last out in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades on October 4 at Keeneland. A slow start and a ninth-place finish prompted the connections to return her to grass, where she ran third in her first start on August 11 at Saratoga before graduating a month later.

The Bernardini filly has been training in Fair Hill, Maryland, in preparation for her Aqueduct debut.

"We're going back to what we know she's good at," Stidham said. "She's been training great at Fair Hill. We think that, based off her performance in the Alicibiades, that she probably prefers turf."

The 10-horse field for the Chelsey Flower includes: Sky Kitten [post 1, Eric Cancel], Bredenbury [post 2, Javier Castellano], Wicked Title [post 3, Luis Rodriguez Castro], Micheline [post 4, Jose Lezcano], English Breeze [post 5, Manny Franco], Speaktomeofsummer [post 6, Junior Alvarado], Lady Fatima [post 7, Dylan Davis], Quality Heat [post 8, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Sparkling Sky [post 9, Jose Ortiz], and Astoria Kitten [post 10, Kendrick Carmouche].

In Race 8 on Sunday, Christophe Clement entered a trio of talented runners in the Zagora, including Moyglare Stud Farm's Homeland Security, Phoenix Thoroughbred's Sky Full of Stars, and Scott Krase and Peter Stokes' Wegetsdamunnys.

"They each are doing okay at the moment," said Christophe Lorieul, assistant to Clement. "It's the end of the year and with the three of them we are trying to see if we can get some black type. The weather looks to be in each of their favor, with some rain possible in the forecast. Homeland Security is entering off a nice win this summer. Wegetsdamunnys is facing open company, but the distance and possible give in the ground could benefit her. With Sky Full of Stars, we would like to see what the added distance will do for her."

The 12-horse field for the Zagora includes: Homeland Security [post 1, Manny Franco], Not in Jeopardy [post 2, Eric Cancel], Beau Belle [post 3, Luis Saez], Fools Gold [post 4, Javier Castellano], Empressof the Nile [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Lady Montdore [post 6, Joe Bravo], Wegetsdamunnys [post 7, Kendrick Carmouche], Lemon Zip [post 7, Tyler Conner], Mercilla [post 9, Jose Ortiz], War Cabinet [post 10, Jose Lezcano], Pamina [post 11, Junior Alvarado] and Sky Full of Stars [post 12, Trevor McCarthy].