Long Island Handicap 2014 at Aqueduct

Las Vegas, NV – Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, New York will play host to the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap on Saturday, November 8. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will be featured as they go 1 1/2 miles on Aqueduct’s turf track searching for the winner’s share of the $200,000 purse.

A full field of 12 plus two Alternate Entries have been confirmed for the Long Island Handicap – race 7 on Aqueduct’s Saturday card. Post time is 3:14 PM. Here is a peek into the past performance of all 14 possible entries for this Grade 3 Handicap.

Danza Cavallo – French bred Chad Brown trained filly has 11 career starts with three wins, three seconds and two third place finishes – two wins and three seconds in her last five starts overall. Last time out was a stakes win July 22 in France after three straight runner up finishes including a stakes two back. She was mighty impressive at home and makes her North American debut Saturday as the 3-1 morning line favorite. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides from post 4.

Viva Rafaela – Brazilian bred Todd Pletcher trained mare had two wins and a second in six starts at home before shipping to North America. She recorded her first win here in an Allowance Optional Claiming last November 11 after an eighth and a fourth respectively in similar races at Saratoga. She was a disappointing eighth in the Grade 3 Marshua’s River Stakes January 4 but has placed in six of seven starts since – a third last time out behind Breeders’ Cup runner-up Stephanie’s Kitten and Abaco in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park September 27 followed a second in the Grade 3 Glens Falls Stakes, a second in the minor Fasig-Tipton Waya Stakes August 3, a third in the Grade 2 New York Stakes in June, a third in the Grade 1 The Very One Stakes in February, a good second in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream March 29 and an unfortunate fifth in the Grade 1 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland April 24. Viva Rafaela is still looking for her first graded stakes score in North America and has been knocking on the door as of late. Joe Bravo has the call from post 3 at 7-2 on the morning line.

Hellenistic – will be making her North America debut after six starts overseas yielded two wins and three third place finishes. She enters off two straight wins in Ireland – both Handicap races – the last coming by 6 1/2 lengths at Leopardstown July 10. Hellenistic will depart from gate 5 with Angel Arroyo aboard the 4-1 morning line third choice.

Aigue Marine – British bred filly and Christophe Clement trainee had two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in eight starts at home before debuting in North America with a close third in the 2012 Long Island Handicap. She was sixth in the 2013 Long Island Handicap November 9, seventh in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream March 30 of last year and had an Allowance Optional Claiming score three weeks earlier. This year Aigue Marine finished second in the Grade 3 The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream February 15, had a second in the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes in April and won the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park in July but is coming off a fifth in the Grade 3 Glens Fall Stakes at Saratoga August 31. She hopes to bounce back from a disappointing effort last time out with John Velazquez in the reins from the rail at 5-1 on the morning line.

Tabreed – British bred Christophe Clement trained mare finished second in this race last year but has only three starts since. After eight months away she finished eighth in the Grade 3 Modesty Handicap at Arlington in July and followed that with a pair of thirds – in an Allowance Optional Claiming August 15 and in the minor Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon Stakes last time out September 24. Tabreed will have Cornelio Velasquez aboard from post 3 at 10-1 odds as Tabreed looks for her first win this year.

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Meri Shika – French bred filly made her first start in North America in September and finished fourth in the 2013 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine after one win, two seconds and two third place finishes in 11 career starts at home. She didn’t place in her next five starts but broke through with a nice win in the minor Flaming Page Stakes August 23. Last time out was a disappointing last of eight in the Grade 1 EP Taylor Stakes also at Woodbine October 19 after a fourth in the 2014 Grade 2 Canadian Stakes September 14. Meri Shika has placed in just one of her last nine starts overall (the win three back) and hasn’t looked great in her last two graded stakes tries. Emma-Jayne Wilson gets the call from post 9 at 12-1 on the morning line.

Maximova – Christophe Clement trained filly has nine career starts with four wins, a second and a third place finish but has just two graded stakes start – a sixth last time out in the Grade 3 Athenia Stakes at Belmont Park October 12 and a seventh in the Grade 2 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga in July of last year. She finished her 2013 campaign with a second in the minor Summer Secretary Stakes and has three Allowance Optional Claiming starts in 2014 – a win August 15 followed a third in July and a seventh in May. Manuel Franco will be in the saddle looking for Maximova’s first graded stakes placing as she stretches out for the longest race of her career from post 4 at 15-1 odds.

Invading Humor – makes her graded stakes debut Saturday after 13 career starts yielded six wins, a second and a third place finish. She has four wins and a third place finish in six starts this year. Last time out was an uncharacteristic eighth in the minor Ticonderoga Stakes at Belmont Park October 18 which followed a win in the minor John Hettinger Stakes on that same track September 14 and two Allowance scores at Saratoga. Jose Ortiz has the mount from gate 8 at 20-1 on the morning line.

Auld Alliance – Irish bred Graham Motion trained filly has 11 career starts with two wins, two seconds and three third place finishes. She enters off a ninth in the minor Kentucky Downs Ladies marathon September 24 after a third in the minor Flaming Page Stakes at Woodbine in August and a pair of sevenths – in the Grade 3 Robert G Dick Memorial in July and the minor Belmont Gold Cup Invitational in June. She hasn’t been great lately but hopes to turn things around Saturday in her first try at marathon distances – with Angel Serpa in the irons from post 10 at 20-1 odds.

Angegreen – started her career in Italy where she had three wins and a pair of seconds in five starts – one of the seconds coming in the Group 1 Oaks d’Italia in April, 2012. Her move to North America hasn’t been great however – she has placed in just three of 11 starts here. Last time out was an OK third in the minor Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon September 24 after five straight off the board finishes including sixth place finishes in both the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial in July and the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes in April. She did have second place finishes in the 2012 Grade 3 The Very One Stakes and Grade 3 Orchid Stakes but hasn’t been great since. Channing Hill will be in the saddle from the outside post at 20-1 odds.

Giant Shadow – has seven career starts with three wins and a second place finish but Saturday marks her stakes debut. She enters off two straight Allowance scores – the last coming at Parx October 7. She leaves from post 7 with Eriluis Vaz aboard at 30-1 on the morning line

Embarr – has 30 career starts for trainer Susan Cooney with nine wins and a second place finish. Last time out was a seventh in the Grade 3 Athenia Stakes at Belmont Park October 12 which followed a victory in the minor Brookmeade Stakes at Laurel Park September 13 and a fifth in the Grade 3 Modesty Handicap at Arlington in July. Embarr also had a win in April in the minor Dahlia Stakes at Pimlico but has not been great since. She is very experienced in graded stakes action and will line up in gate 11 Sunday with Dylan Davis in the reins at an intriguing 30-1 on the morning line.

Songoficeandfire – Alternate Entry may race in stakes company for the first time Saturday. She has won two of her last three races overall – an Allowance last time out at Keeneland October 10 and a maiden score at Ellis Park in August and has a third and a second among her other three career starts.

Bohemian Dance – Alternate Entry has failed to place in her last three starts – a sixth last time out in the minor Lady Baltimore Stakes September 27 followed consecutive fifths in minor stakes action. She has two wins and two third place finishes in 10 career starts and may make her graded stakes debut Saturday

Race 7 on Aqueduct Racetrack’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 3:14 PM.