Turf stakes action returns to Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday with 12 veteran contenders taking aim at the one-mile $150,000 Artie Schiller Stakes.
Carded as Race 8 with a scheduled post time of 3:47 p.m., the 4th running of the Artie Schiller will see Jump Sucker Stable’s multiple graded stakes winner Blacktype making his first start since winning the Grade 2 Knickerbocker on October 8 at Belmont Park.
| Entry | Horse | ML Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qurbaan | 3-1 | Luis Saez 124 Lbs |
Kiaran McLaughlin |
| 2 | Profiteer | 10-1 | John Velazquez 120 Lbs |
Claude McGaughey III |
| 3 | Backsideofthemoon | 30-1 | Manuel Franco 118 Lbs |
Leo O’Brien |
| 4 | Black Tide | 15-1 | Jose Lezcano 122 Lbs |
David Cannizzo |
| 5 | Blacktype (FR) | 9-2 | Joel Rosario 124 Lbs |
Christophe Clement |
| 6 | Bricks and Mortar | 5-2 | Javier Castellano 118 Lbs |
Chad Brown |
| 7 | Proforma | 15-1 | Joe Bravo 124 Lbs |
Michael Stidham |
| 8 | Dalarna | 30-1 | David Cohen 118 Lbs |
Kelly Rubley |
| 9 | Projected (GB) | 4-1 | Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Lbs |
Chad Brown |
| 10 | Dr. Edgar | 10-1 | Dylan Davis 118 Lbs |
Barclay Tagg |
| 11 | Papa Zulu | 3-1 | Rider TBA 121 Lbs |
Kelly Rubley |
| 12 | Exulting | 7-5 | Rider TBA 119 Lbs |
Kiaran McLaughlin |
Blacktype, a 7-year-old French-bred gelding in the care of conditioner Christophe Clement, has amassed 12 wins from 36 career starts. Kicking off his 2018 campaign with a fifth-place finish in an allowance race at Keeneland on April 8, he has since won three races from six starts, including three in his last four, encompassing a pair of optional-claiming victories at Belmont. His Knickerbocker victory by a neck earned a personal-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He’s been a very fun horse to have around,” Clement said. “He always tries and is coming in for this well off his victory in the Knickerbocker last out. Unfortunately, he’ll have to carry the most weight in the field, but he prefers some give in the ground which it looks like there’s a chance we’ll get, so hopefully things work out.”
Blacktype will leave from post 5 with Joel Rosario.
Unable to draw into last Saturday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, Godolphin Stables and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will enter Qurbaan.
A 5-year-old son of Speightstown, Qurbaan made his first 13 starts in Europe before transferring to the McLaughlin barn. Winning his North American debut in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap on September 3 at Saratoga Race Course, he followed with a game third-place finish in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile on October 6 at Keeneland.
“He’s been just great since he’s come to us,” McLaughlin said. “He’s doing very well and has been training forwardly off his race in the Shadwell [Turf Mile]. We didn’t get into the Breeders’ Cup [Turf Mile] so we had this spot in mind and hopefully the weather cooperates.”
Qurbaan will leave from post 1 with Luis Saez set to ride.
Profiteer enters for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey and owner Stuart S. Janney III. A 4-year-old home-bred War Front colt, Profiteer has two wins from seven starts this year.
Following a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 United Nations on June 30 at Monmouth Park, he rebounded to finish third to Blacktype in an optional claimer on September 27 at Belmont and followed with a win in the same conditions on October 19.
Profiteer will depart from post 2 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard.
Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence’s Bricks and Mortar, a graded stakes winner after capturing the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on August 4 at Saratoga, enters off a pair of third-place finishes in the Grade 3 Saranac on September 2 at Saratoga and the Grade 3 Hill Prince on October 7 at Belmont for trainer Chad Brown.
Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the call from post 6.
Bricks and Mortar’s stablemate, Juddmonte Farms’ Projected, will return to the Big A for the first time since April. The 6-year-old has finished on the board in seven consecutive starts, including second in the Grade 3 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup on September 29 at Laurel Park. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride from post 9.
Also entered is Backsideofthemoon for Lake Lonely Racing and trainer Leo O’Brien; Proforma for trainer Michael Stidham and DARRS Inc.; Dr. Edgar for trainer Barclay Tagg and owner Peter and Eloise Canzone, Sr.; Dalarna for trainer Kelly Rubley and Gunpowder Farms and Black Tide for trainer David Cannizzo and Ivery Sisters Racing.
Exulting for Godolphin and Gunpowder Farms’ Papa Zulu are main-track only entrants.
