NY Stallion Stakes On Tap at Big A

Trainer Todd Pletcher, feeling the chill in New York for the past three weeks, sends out a pair of 2-year-olds in Spanky Fischbein and Fort Drum for the $100,000 Great White Way, part of the New York Stallion Stakes series at Aqueduct on Nov. 11.

The Great White Way, along with the $100,000 Fifth Avenue for 2-year-old fillies, is the richest of seven stakes divisions for state breds on the Aqueduct program, which also includes the $150,000 Long Island Handicap (gr. IIT) for fillies and mares on the grass. There are also five stakes worth a guaranteed $75,000  in the New York series.

Pletcher, who had not won a race in New York since Oct. 21, seems well-positioned to break the drought in the six-horse field of juvenile colts and geldings assembled for the Great White Way at six furlongs.

Spanky Fischbein has one win in four starts but has yet to finish worse than second. He registered a strong runner-up showing to Big Truck in the Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Belmont Park last month. To be ridden by John Velazquez, the ridgling breaks from the advantageous outside post in the small field. Fort Drum, fourth in the Bongard, could also show improvement this time.

In the Fifth Avenue for juvenile fillies, trainer Linda Rice has a trio of speedy misses -- Sweet Bama Breeze, Noble Fire and Canadian Ballet.

Noble Fire, a daughter of Hook and Ladder, broke her maiden by nearly seven lengths in a five-furlong heat while gunning from the rail. She switches to the outside post for the six-furlong Fifth Avenue, and will be ridden by Cornelio Velasquez.

Canadian Ballet won her debut over maidens at Saratoga this summer before moving on to Finger Lakes, where she ran second in the Lady Finger and third in the New York Breeders' Futurity.

Sweet Bama Breeze shows two seconds in her only starts so far.

The dangers in the field of nine are closers Sew Slippery and Ocala Gator.

$100,000 New York Stallion Great White Way Stakes (Race 3, 1:24 p.m.), 2-Year-Old Colts & Geldings, 6 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Fort Drum, 118, Cornelio H. Velasquez
2. Gold Vendetta, 116, Edgar S. Prado
3. Nolite Timere, 116, Jean-Luc Samyn
4. Piquante Cat, 120, Alan Garcia
5. Fighter Ace, 116, Eddie Castro
6. Spanky Fischbein, 118, John R. Velazquez

$100,000 New York Stallion Fifth Avenue Stakes (Race 5, 2:20 p.m.), 2-Year-Old Fillies, 6 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Sweet Bama Breeze, 116, Charles C. Lopez
2. Ocala Gator, 118, Jonathan Joyce
3. Weekwee, 116, Jean-Luc Samyn
4. Sew Slippery, 118, Edgar S. Prado
5. Instant Lady, 120, Jose M. Rivera
6. Beam of Love, 118, Eibar Coa
7. Cape Cod Escape, 116, Raul I. Rojas
8. Canadian Ballet, 118, Alan Garcia
9. Noble Fire (NY), 118, Cornelio H. Velasquez