NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds’ Kentucky homebred Ambition will make his career bow for trainer John Kimmel in Saturday’s first race, a six-furlong maiden special weight for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The bay son of Street Sense was a $475,000 RNA at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale and is a half-brother to Grade 2-placed Carmel Road. His dam, the multiple stakes-winning Unbridled’s Song mare Inspired, is a half-sister to Treasure, the dam of last year’s Grade 1 Preakness-winner National Treasure.
“He has been training quite well since his arrival,” said Kimmel. “He’s got a little pedigree and a decent sire, so we’ll just see how he handles these winter tracks. I think when the tracks are deep and cuppy, some of them struggle. But if it’s a tight track, I think he’ll run respectably.”
Ambition had his first breezes this summer at Churchill Downs and The Thoroughbred Center before moving north to Belmont Park in October. His recent works over the training track include a half-mile move from the gate in 47.80 seconds on New Year’s Eve, and a three-furlong breeze in 36.69 on Tuesday.
“Everybody likes him,” said Kimmel. “The riders like the way he goes, and I think he’s been handling his competition [in the mornings] well. We haven’t been sending him super hard, but I think he’s certainly fit enough for his debut.”
Ambition drew post five in the six-horse field with Kendrick Carmouche up, and has been tabbed the 5-2 morning-line second choice. While overnight showers have been forecast in South Ozone Park, Kimmel said he wouldn’t mind a wetter track.
“I think he’s ready, and I think a little moisture will guarantee the track is tight,” said Kimmel. “It looks on paper like there’s no horses that stick out, so I’m looking forward to watching.”
Kimmel added that Whisper Hill Farm’s three-time winner Winit is training well towards a return to two turns in a nine-furlong third-level allowance on January 26 at the Big A. The 5-year-old Tapit gelding was last seen finishing a hard-fought fourth when traveling one-mile on December 28 here after going head-to-head for the early lead with Kinetic Sky and fading late to be defeated 1 3/4 lengths.
“He’s been doing very well,” said Kimmel. “He did all the dirty work the other day and we’re going to try a mile and an eighth on the 26th. His last two races running a mile out of the chute, they were like long sprint races where the pace scenario was similar to what you’d run in a seven-furlong race. I think going around two turns, he’s got good tactical speed and he might find a much more comfortable pace scenario.”
Winit posted a productive 5-start campaign in 2023 when scoring a win two starts back in a local one-mile tilt, and finishing second in two other optional claiming contests. He has banked a total of $245,433 through a lifetime record of 13-3-3-1.
