Count Fleet Is Back for Second Try at Aqueduct

For the second time in a week, Aqueduct will try to run the $75,000 Count Fleet, an ungraded race for 3-year-olds at a mile and 70 yards.

The contest was postponed last Saturday when the track canceled racing because of poor weather and unsafe track conditions. Some of those who were entered last week are back today.

A field of nine is scheduled for the Count Fleet, which was won last year by a horse who went on to have some success -- Smarty Jones, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner and horse-of-the-year contender.

One of the top contenders in this year’s renewal is Naughty New Yorker, a New York-bred son of Quiet American. Owned by Fox Ridge Farm and trained by Patrick Kelly, he has won his last two starts by a combined 18 3/4 lengths. Jean-Luc Samyn will ride.

Meanwhile, at the Fair Grounds, Storm Surge, who has won four of seven sprinting, will stretch out to a mile again for trainer Dallas Stewart in the $100,000 Lecomte, the first major prep for the Louisiana Derby.

Five others are entered in the Lecomte -- Silver Haze, Smooth Bid, Biloxi Palace, Kansas City Boy and Major League.

The Lecomte is part of an all-stakes pick four at the Fair Grounds. The other three races in the sequence are the $100,000 Dr. A. B. Leggio Memorial Handicap, the $100,000 Tiffany Lass and the $100,000 Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap.

Race of the day: Dover Dere, who won the Gold Rush in his first start at Golden Gate Fields on Dec. 18, is among only four 3-year-olds likely to run in today’s $100,000 Golden Gate Derby. With Texcess opting to stay at Santa Anita and run in the San Rafael, Sharp Writer, Buzzards Bay and Valdini are Dover Dere’s only foes in the 1 1/16 -mile race.

One for the road: Shorty Knudtson adds Lasix for his third start for trainer John Kimmel and can win from off the pace in today’s eighth at Gulfstream Park. Jose Santos will ride the 3-year-old Thunder Gulch colt for Circle C Group Stables in the $33,000 allowance at 1 1/8 miles.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Zen Diva and It Was Meant To Be in the first, Tommyland and Distorted in the second and Ballerina Cat, Sweet Gazelle and Daddy’s Angel in the third.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 1/38. Money: Previous day/meet total: $3.40/$213.60. Total money bet: $238.