Full field entered for the Red Smith on Saturday at Aqueduct

By NY Hot List staff | Friday, November 10, 2023

The Grade 2, $300,000 Red Smith drew a full field of 12 along with three also eligibles and one main track only entrant for the 1 3/8 mile turf feature on Saturday at Aqueduct. The Red Smith pays tribute to the late Pulitzer Prize winning author and sportswriter Walter Wellesley “Red” Smith who covered horseracing for the New York Herald Tribune and the New York Times during his 55-year career in journalism.

Soldier Rising will run in the Red Smith for the third year in a row. In 2023 the Christophe Clement trainee ran in four Grade 1 races that were at all three of the NYRA tracks. Last time out he rallied from last to finish second in the Turf Classic. Jose Ortiz, who rode the son of Frankel 10 times, gets back on board.

“He’s doing great. He’s finished second in four Grade 1 races in New York this year, so it would be nice to finally win a race at some stage,” said Clement, a two-time Red Smith winning trainer. “I don’t think anyone has been more consistent this year than him in the New York turf division.”

The $300,000 Red Smith (G2) at Aqueduct, Saturday, Race 9, 3:43 pm EST.

(4) Cross Border returned to the barn of trainer Mike Maker late in the summer after training to be a steeplechase runner with top hurdle trainer Keri Brion. He won a maiden race for jumpers in March and then seemed to be uninterested in the long race distances. Since moving back to the flat racing, he was third in an allowance at Saratoga and then won a stake at Delaware Park in September. (8) Soldier Rising added four more seconds to his career record that now includes four wins and nine place finishes. After his four Grade 1 races this year the 5-year-old gets some class relief in this Grade 2 field. (1) Lost Ark moved to the turf for the first time two races back for Todd Pletcher and finished third in the very strong field in the Saranac (G3) at the Spa. Last time he won the Jockey Club Derby which was taken off the grass and run on a sloppy track at Aqueduct. (12) Master Piece joined the barn of the Breeders’ Cup Classic winning trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. at the same time as White Abarrio. He is a past graded stakes winner who will be making his third start for the trainer.

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