Friday, December 7, 2012
Contact: Jon Forbes
NOTACATBUTALLAMA MAKES DIRT DEBUT IN DAMON RUNYON; KELLI GOT FROSTY FAVORED IN EAST VIEW
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Notacatbutallama, a winner of two turf stakes, will make his first start on the dirt in the $80,000 Damon Runyon, one of two stakes for New York-bred juveniles on Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Both the Damon Runyon and East View will be contested at one mile. The East View is restricted to 2-year-old fillies.
After breaking his maiden by 6 ½ lengths against New York-breds at Saratoga Race Course in his second start, Notacatbutallama made the switch to open company, finishing fourth in the Grade 2 With Anticipation at the Spa and second in the Grade 3 Pilgrim at
The Repole Stable representative dropped into overnight stakes for his two most recent starts, a 1 ¼-length victory in the Incurable Optimist on October 28 at
With turf season about to end in
“He’s always worked better on the turf, but this time of year you want to figure out if they can transfer their form to the dirt,” said Whit Beckman, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. “It’s an experiment to see if he can run on the dirt. There is no New York-bred program on the turf in the winter, so we’re giving him a shot on the dirt. If he runs credibly enough, he can have a nice winter campaign. Maybe we’ll look at the
Rajiv Maragh takes over on Notacatabutallama, who drew post 8 and was installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite.
In Harm’s Way has placed in three stakes, including the Grade 2 Saratoga Special, and will try to pick up his first black-type score in the Damon Runyon, which will be his first start beyond seven furlongs.
After finishing third in the Saratoga Special, In Harm’s Way showed early speed, dropped back to sixth, and came on again to finish second in the New York Breeders’ Futurity on September 29 at
Hall of Famer Edgar Prado retains the mount aboard In Harm’s Way, a
The Damon Runyon attracted the top two finishers from the six-furlong
In the
Jose Espinoza picks up the mount aboard
The Damon Runyon field also includes Reaching Out, Giant Finish, Lucci the Lion, James Jingle, and Smooth Bert.
Kelli Got Frosty is the 1-2 morning-line favorite for the East View off a hard-fought, half-length victory in the
Trained by Rudy Rodriguez for Andrew Cohen and others, Kelli Got Frosty will leave from post 3 with Cornelio Velasquez aboard.
Agilion also ran in the Gimma, closing from 10th to check in second by three-quarters of a length. She returned to be runner-up in an entry-level allowance on November 9.
Junior Alvarado has gained the assignment aboard Agilion, who drew post 6 at 5-2.
Jerusalem Stone, Flattermewithroses, Star Black, Bit Bustin, and Carameaway complete the East View field.
The field for the $80,000 Damon Runyon:
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | Odds |
| 1 | 116 | 15-1 | |||
| 2 | 116 | 4-1 | |||
| 3 | 116 | 10-1 | |||
| 4 | 116 | 5-2 | |||
| 5 | 116 | 30-1 | |||
| 6 | 122 | 8-1 | |||
| 7 | 116 | 12-1 | |||
| 8 | 122 | 2-1 | |||
| 9 | 116 | 12-1 |
The field for the $80,000 East View:
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | Odds |
| 1 | 116 | 20-1 | |||
| 2 | 122 | 15-1 | |||
| 3 | 122 | 1-2 | |||
| 4 | 116 | 20-1 | |||
| 5 | 116 | 15-1 | |||
| 6 | 116 | 5-2 | |||
| 7 | 116 | 10-1 |
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