Aqueduct Notes

- Reader Glimmerglass mentioned Toso, a six-year old mare who made her debut at the Big A on Wednesday, and won the 6th by three lengths at 6-1. Then, Steve in nc provided some buzz kill by pointing out the glacial time. Apprentice jockey Maylan Studart was on board. Jackie who?

Looks like trainer Edward Allard pulled one over in the second on Thursday. Barefoot Babe ($52.50) earned every bit of those 25-1 odds with a dismal sixth in a maiden claimer at Philly Park in her last. Here, she was moving up in class and making her first start on grass, and her first around two turns. However, if you don't mind a little pedigree-redboarding, her sire, Untuttable (Unbridled), wins at 14% with first time turfers, according to the Form. And she's out of a mare, by Sword Dance, who's a full sister to the multiple Grade 1 turf winner Marlin. So some nice turf blood there, and the trainer's first winner in NY in over two years.

Etched took the third at 2-5; here's one of those Darley horses who disappeared into Dubai oblivion after making a big impression as a two-year old last year. He won the G3 Nashua here last fall, and his only appearance since had been a 4th in a stakes race at Nad Al Sheba in February. A long ways from the Derby Trail for which he was no doubt intended. What the hell happens to these horses anyway? Etched is by Forestry out of the G1 winner Unbridled Elaine, whom the Sheikh purchased in foal to Etched for $4.4 million in 2004. According to Pedigree Query, she was subsequently bred to AP Indy, resulting in a colt named Broad Choice.

Another winner for Contessa, and two each for Enrique Arroyo and Dutrow. The latter took the feature with Into My Soul, as Relatively Ready, last seen in that allowance race disguised as a championship and known as the BC Juvenile Turf, lagged home in 7th. The winner is by Pleasantly Perfect, yet to make much of an impression with his first crop. Standing at Lane's End for $30,000 (down from $40,000 in his first two seasons), the 2003 Classic winner stands at number 21 on the rookie sire list; he got his first stakes winner earlier this month. This stallion didn't win his first race until he was four.

- Six racing dates and no purse subsidy for Atlantic City Race Course. 192 dates for Freehold, but the purse dispute between Pennwood and the horsemen goes on. SBOANJ president Tom Luchento said:

“Freehold’s fate is in its own hands. If they want to race 192 dates with an anemic purse structure and watch horsemen migrate to other racing jurisdictions, so be it." [Bloodhorse]

The horsemen will meet with the NJ Racing Commission on December 3.

- And finally, anyone worried about deflation can come and live around here.