Queens County

A highly competitive field of 10 will square off in Saturday’s 99th running
of the Queens County H. (G3) at 9 1/2 furlongs over the inner dirt track at
Aqueduct. A case can be made for several of these, but we’re going to give a
slight nod to EVENING ATTIRE (Black Tie Affair [Ire]), who should offer fair
odds.

Evening Attire won this event in 2001 and finished second in last year’s
running. The Grade 1 winner is probably the class of this field and comes into
this event off a couple of respectable, but losing, efforts on the turf against
Grade 2 company. Prior to that, the Pat Kelly trainee finished a decent fourth
in the Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1) and won the 1 1/4-mile Saratoga Breeders’
Cup H. (G2), earning a 109 BRIS Speed rating for the latter. Evening Attire must shoulder top
weight of 123 pounds and concede at least six pounds to his rivals, which is a
concern, but he figures to improve with a return to the dirt, and the inner
track, where he sports a 3-1-2-0 mark.

The Todd Pletcher-trained COLITA (Grindstone) dropped back around the far
turn, then closed gamely before finishing second to CLASSIC ENDEAVOR (Silver
Buck) in the Stuyvesant H. (G3) at nine furlongs over the Aqueduct main track in
his last start. The lightly raced four-year-old has two wins in three starts
over the inner track and projects an inside pocket trip. He gets the
up-and-coming Rafael Bejarano in the saddle and rates a major threat.

Classic Endeavor set solid internal fractions and then finished strongly to
win the Stuyvesant by 1 1/2 lengths in his second start after being claimed for
$50,000 by trainer Richard Dutrow, who recently said this horse is at the top of
his game. The speedster has reeled off a pair of triple-digit Speed figures in
his last two and has shown a fondness for the surface with five wins and five
seconds in 15 starts over the inner track. He is a dangerous contender.

The improving ZAKOCITY (Precocity) likes to be in the mix early and exits
a front-running, open-length victory in the nine-furlong Discovery H. (G3) over the
Aqueduct main track in his latest. The three-year-old brings good form into this
event and could earn a share with continued improvement.

HYDROGEN (Pleasant Colony) and COUNTRY BE GOLD (Summer Squall) are a couple
of closers who could factor in the exotics if some of the others expend too much
energy in the early going. Both could be useful on the bottom of the gimmicks.
KISSIN SAINT (Kissin Kris) defeated lesser at nine furlongs over the Aqueduct
main track in his last start and has finished in the money in five of six starts
on the inner track. He has some upset potential and is worth a second look.

In his most recent outing, ROARING FEVER (Storm Cat) captured the 8
1/2-furlong Alysheba S. at the Meadowlands in fine stalk-and-pounce fashion. He
could garner a slice at large odds. ADMIRALTY ARCH (Arch) won his last start in
near front-running fashion after being claimed from Pletcher for $60,000. He
will likely add to the early pace but has distance and class questions. The
speedy PRIVATE LAP (Private Terms) stopped badly in his last start and is hard
to recommend.