Nothing Better takes the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship (Chelsea Durand)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Following a three-quarter length victory against a salty allowance optional claiming group on Thursday at Aqueduct Racetrack, Colts Neck Stables’ stakes-winner Nothing Better could return to New York later this summer for the Grade 1, $400,000 Jaipur on June 10 at Belmont Park, according to trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr.
Nothing Better, a 6-year-old gelded son of Munnings, made his first start since a narrow runner-up effort as the lukewarm favorite in the December 24 Janus at Gulfstream Park, which came following a local stakes win in the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship in November.
Thursday’s test saw Nothing Better face a loaded field which included graded-stakes winners Slipstream and Coinage as well as graded-stakes placed Thin White Duke. Piloted by Manny Franco, Nothing Better broke on top and was challenged down the backstretch by multiple stakes-placed Into the Sunrise before maintaining his command through the stretch drive and fending off a late rallying Straight Answer to complete the six furlongs in an outer turf course-record time of 1:06.80. The victory garnered a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He had a real good race yesterday. It could have been a stake the way the field shaped up,” Duarte, Jr. commented. “A lot of those same horses were in the Aqueduct Turf Sprint. It was a nice starting point for a lot of these horses. Some of them will go in different directions, but hopefully we stay in New York. The Jaipur would be a nice race for him, but we’ll see if we can get a race in between. I’ll talk to [Colts Neck Stable owner] Richard Santulli and do the best for the horse.”
The aforementioned start in between could take place in the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint on Kentucky Derby weekend at Churchill Downs, according to Duarte, Jr.
“It depends on how he comes out of the race. He came back to the test barn and cooled out super-fast. As long as his energy level is good, we’ll nominate to Churchill,” Duarte, Jr. said.
Duarte, Jr. said he wasn’t completely surprised by the swift final time.
“It seemed like a lot of the maiden races were running pretty flashy,” Duarte, Jr. said. “They keep the turf course covered and everything firms up and it’s easy on the horses to travel. In that kind of field, you would expect them to go that fast.”
Never worse than third in 11 starts dating back to July 2021, Nothing Better has won over four different ovals, including a debut win over the Parx main track. He also owns multiple victories over the Monmouth Park turf as well as at Laurel Park.
“He’s been very consistent as his form shows. He’s a very easy horse to train and be around,” Duarte, Jr. said. “He keeps thriving through racing, especially when he has that nice firm turf like he had yesterday. I’m very happy with the performance.”
Duarte had contemplated an international endeavor with Nothing Better in February in the Group 3 1351 Turf Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia, which was won by Bathrat Leon.
“He’s an easy shipper. I even considered after the Aqueduct Turf Sprint sending him to Saudi Arabia,” Duarte, Jr. said. “The only downside was that the race is 1350 meters which is almost seven-eighths. You might get some of those horses cutting back in there. He’s a good shipper, so I’m not scared to ship him anywhere.”
Although Thursday’s race was Nothing Better’s first start in over three months, Duarte, Jr. said the horse was still on a consistent training schedule.
“It wasn’t much of a layoff. He ran at the end of December in Florida. Technically, it was more of a freshening because he didn’t really lose much training,” Duarte, Jr. said. “He came back to Colts Neck for the month of January and February and he started working again. He had about a month off out in our field, and he was right back at it in February. He didn’t lose much fitness.”
Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation, Nothing Better is out of the Duke of Marmalade mare One True Love, who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Folk Opera.
