OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Don Alberto Stable’s First Constitution will look to score his second stakes victory this year in Saturday’s $150,000 Excelsior for older horses travelling nine furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, First Constitution started his career in his native Chile where he won the Group 1 Gran Criterium Mauricio Serrano Palma by eight lengths in October 2020. He finished ninth in his American debut at Saratoga Race Course in September, his only off-the-board finish from nine lifetime starts.
The son of Constitution earned his first American win last time out in the nine-furlong Jazil on January 22 at the Big A, setting the pace under Jose Lezcano and drawing away to a 6 3/4-length victory.
First Constitution was sent to Palm Beach Downs in Del Ray, Florida, after his Jazil victory and returned to the Empire State last week. He breezed a half-mile in company with stablemate Untreated in 48.65 seconds over Belmont Park’s training track Saturday.
“He’s doing well,” said Byron Hughes, Pletcher’s Belmont-based assistant. “We breezed him here and he went well. He looks great and we’re hoping he puts in a big effort.”
Hughes said that the chestnut would likely vie for the lead again after his frontrunning tactics proved successful in the Jazil.
“He’ll be forwardly placed again and we aren’t going to take away anything that comes easy to him,” said Hughes. “Hopefully, he breaks well and puts himself in a good spot and we’ll go from there. He seems to like the track based on that last performance.”
Kendrick Carmouche picks up the mount from post 3.
Pletcher will also be represented by three-time winner Untreated, who enters from a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Mineshaft on February 19 at Fair Grounds Race Course.
Owned by Team Valor International, the Nyquist bay colt was an impressive winner of a maiden special weight at second asking by 8 3/4 lengths going one mile and 40 yards at Tampa Bay Downs last March. He stepped up to face graded company in the Grade 2 Blue Grass next time out at Keeneland, finishing eighth behind multiple Grade 1 winner Essential Quality.
After seven months away from the races, Untreated returned with a pair of one-turn mile allowance victories at the Big A, posting wins on November 19 and December 31.
“He’s doing good, too. He breezed pretty much on even terms with First Constitution,” Hughes said. “He looks great and is a talented horse. We definitely think he’s a two-turn horse, so we’re hoping that’s what he likes. He likes the track and we’re hoping for a big effort from him, too.”
Trevor McCarthy will ride from post 2.
Queens County winner Forewarned returns from a nose defeat in the John B. Campbell at Laurel Park on February 19 where he earned a field-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure for his runner-up effort to Galerio.
“He came out of the race fantastic,” said owner and trainer Uriah St. Lewis.
The 7-year-old son of Flat Out was a 42-1 upset winner of the Queens County on December 19 at the Big A, stalking the pace under Dexter Haddock and making up ground down the stretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths and earn the first open-company stakes victory of his career.
St. Lewis said he is hopeful the bay will relish a return to nine-furlongs after he cut back to 1 1/16 miles last time out.
“I think it will help him tremendously,” St. Lewis said. “I think he can make a nice run at the end.”
The Ohio-bred finished fourth in the Jazil behind First Constitution and has shown an affinity for more ground, posting three consecutive victories in the Best of Ohio Endurance at Mahoning Valley Race Course going 10 furlongs.
Forewarned has compiled a record of 10-8-4 from 47 starts and earnings of $788,383.
Haddock gets the call again from the outermost post 5.
Ramesh Racing Stables’ Son of an Ex will make a quick return after finishing a closing third in the Caixa Eletronica starter stakes Saturday at Aqueduct for trainer Randi Persaud.
Initially trained by James Ferraro, the Effinex gelding won his first start for Persaud in a one-mile maiden special weight facing fellow New York-breds at Aqueduct in January. He then went on to finish second in his first start facing winners in a restricted nine-furlong optional claimer, beaten 4 3/4 lengths after a slow start.
The 4-year-old dark bay has only been off-the-board once in his last five outings and was a 38-1 longshot in Saturday’s Caixa Eletronica, rating from off the pace under Samuel Camacho, Jr. before swinging five-wide in the turn and making up ground late to secure show honors.
Son of an Ex will break from post 4 with Camacho, Jr. up.
Completing the field is Splicethemainbrace, who will venture outside of Pennsylvania for the first time since August 2020 for trainer Robert Reid, Jr., who co-owns the son of Poseidon’s Warrior with LC Racing. The Pennsylvania-bred has been in good form over the last six months, winning or finishing in the money in his last six efforts. He most recently finished third in the Washington Crossing at Parx to earn his third stakes placing.
Splicethemainbrace’s latest win came with a 2 3/4-length score in an optional claimer at Parx going one mile and 70 yards on December 27 with regular rider Abner Adorno in the irons.
Adorno will guide the dark bay from post 1.
The Excelsior is slated as Race 8 on Saturday’s nine-race card. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.
America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the spring meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.
NYRA Press Release
Photo: First Constitution winning the Jazil at Aqueduct Jan. 22, 2022. (Dom Napolitano)
