Long On Value Leads Aqueduct Stakes Field

While most of the Saturday stakes racing attention is on the West coast with the running if the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap, there is also a stakes to be run at Aqueduct. Going six furlongs, the Fred Cappy Capossela is open to three-year-olds and offers a purse of $100,000. The race has drawn a field of seven, with Virginia-bred Long On Value the slight morning line favorite at 5-2. Although unplaced in three attempts, he has graded-stakes experience, and started his career with three straight wins, including two minor stakes scores.

Rivalry renewed between Hot Heir Skier, Oliver Zip

Lightly raced at two, Hot Heir Skier (3-1) broke his maiden second time out at Laurel Park, and comes into this off his first stakes win, scoring by a half-length over Oliver Zip (7-2) in the Jimmy Wakefield Stakes in late January. After a bobble at the start, Oliver Zip got up to set the early fractions in the Wakefield, only to be passed by Hot Heir Skier in mid-stretch. It was his second career runner-up finish in stakes company, and he also has two wins from four lifetime.

Good Time Henny a live long shot

Among the outsiders, NY-bred Loki’s Vengeance (4-1) has won his last two, the first his maiden win and the second in allowance company. After breaking his maiden first time out by more than nine lengths, Good Time Henny (6-1) came back for his second start in late January and prevailed by three, and could get on the ticket at a decent price. Germanic (12-1) and Geaux Mets (15-1) round out the field.