Fluffy Socks, Ozara Lead Aqueduct’s Oct. 27 Turf Stakes

Turf racing in New York, negatively impacted by persistent rain this summer and fall, finally catches a break this week.

Dry conditions are forecast for the New York City area leading up to Oct. 27 when the $150,000 Athenia Stakes and $135,000 Chelsey Flower Stakes are run on grass during the ongoing Belmont at the Big A meet. Nine older fillies and mares are entered in the 1 1/8-mile Athenia, and an overflow field of 2-year-old fillies was drawn for the 1 1/16-mile Chelsey Flower.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown holds a deep hand in the Athenia. His three entrants are stakes winners Fluffy Socks , Beaute Chachee and Technical Analysis .

Head of Plains Partners’ homebred Fluffy Socks won the Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile (G2T) earlier in the year and most recently was second in the Ballston Spa Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course.

Other leading threats beyond the Brown trio include Sparkle Blue , Miss Dracarys  and Evidencias .

The Athenia, Friday’s seventh race, is preceded by the Chelsey Flower, where Cheyenne Stable’s Ozara  drops in class for trainer Christophe Clement after a fourth-place finish behind the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T)-bound She Feels Pretty  in the Sept. 16 Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.