by John Mucciolo
Opening day at Aqueduct featured a pair of graded races, and we saw two fine performances at the Jamaica, New York, venue.
Lael Stables’ homebred No Dozing tracked in second through the opening half-mile in the $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap (G3) but left little doubt thereafter. The Arnaud Delacour trainee opened up a huge edge in the lane and cruised home an emphatic 9 3/4-length winner under Daniel Centeno.
The four-year-old gelding ran seven furlongs over the fast main oval in 1:23.81 en route to his first graded win. The Kentucky-bred son of Union Rags now has a lifetime line that reads 16-5-2-1, $485,590. He gave back $7.40 for the win as the 5-2 second choice.
True Timber was last at the top of the stretch but put in a solid late run to be second, 1 1/4 lengths clear of his nearest foe, Delta Prince, who ran evenly while third as the 3-1 third choice.
No Dozing was bred in the Bluegrass State and is the first stakes winner out of the Pulpit mare Stay Awake.
In the $150,000 Tempted Stakes (G3), Oxy Lady parlayed a great trip into a five-length romp for conditioner Jack Sisterson. The Calumet Farm homebred sat off a contested pace, moved to the fore nearing midstretch and roared home under Declan Cannon to upset the contest as the 36-1 longest shot on the board.
The winner clocked one mile on the fast surface in 1:38.88. She rewarded her backers with mutuels of $75, $27 and $12.40 while spearheading a $204.25 exacta ($1) and $851 trifecta ($1).
Enliven, the 4-1 second choice, was second in the stretch and remained there to the finish while seven lengths clear of her nearest pursuer. Surge of Pride got show honors.
Oxy Lady annexed her first black-type tally and her career mark now stands at 4-2-1-1, $105,830. The daughter of Oxbow was bred in Kentucky and is out of the Grade 3-placed A.P. Indy mare Renaissance Lady, who is a half-sister to Grade 3 scorer Buffum and multiple stakes queen Stormy West.
