Affirmed Success Still Going

Kona Gold isn’t the only talented 9-year-old stakes winner still active in the United States.

Affirmed Success, who has won 15 of 38 and earned $2,171,015, is scheduled to make his 2003 debut in today’s eighth at Aqueduct in New York, a $54,000 allowance at six furlongs.

Owned and bred by Albert Fried and trained by Richard Schosberg, the gelded son of Affirmed hasn’t run since finishing a distant second to the ill-fated Left Bank in the Tom Fool Handicap July 4 at Belmont Park.

Before that, Affirmed Success, who has three wins on turf to go along with his 12 main-track victories, had won the Toboggan Handicap against a modest field at Aqueduct, then won the Carter Handicap, a Grade I, less than a month later.

If Affirmed Success, second in his only previous start on the inner track at Aqueduct, is to win under regular jockey Richard Migliore this afternoon, he will have to do it at a distance that is not his best.

More comfortable at seven furlongs or a one-turn mile, Affirmed Success hasn’t tried three-quarters of a mile since he was well beaten in the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

He has two wins at the distance.

One of the veteran’s opponents is a gelding who has an even better win percentage. Sassy Hound, a 6-year-old bred in Maryland, has won 14 of 29 and 12 of his victories have come at six furlongs. Mike Luzzi will ride for owner Toby Roth and trainer Ben Feliciano.

Race of the day: High Wire Act, who has collected three of his four lifetime victories at Santa Anita, is among seven scheduled to go seven furlongs in today’s seventh race, a $65,000 allowance. Others entered are the Bob Baffert-trained duo of So Urgent and National Saint, Slew Of The Night, Investor’s Dream, McCordnskuba and Climay.

Who’s hot: Michael Gill and Mark Shuman. The owner-trainer combination won eight races the first five days of the Gulfstream Park meet in Florida.

Who’s not: Manuel Aguilar. The jockey lost with his first 17 mounts at Gulfstream Park.

Exotically speaking: An exacta box in the fourth using Redwinesipper, Lapidus and Two Thirty Seven.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 4/33. Money: Previous day/meet total: $21/$174.20. Total money bet: $206.