A year ago, the listed Awad Stakes for 2-year-olds on the turf was run at 6 furlongs for the first time at now-shuttered Aqueduct. The race drew a field of four, with favorite Throckmorton leading at every call and returning $4.24 on a $2 win bet.
On Saturday, a field of nine is entered in the $175,000 Awad, and bettors should have a much better chance at a bigger payday in what appears to be a fairly wide-open race.
The Awad, named for the champion turf star, will be run over the Widener turf course and listed as race 8 with a post time of 3:12 p.m. ET.
Typically, a 6-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-olds features plenty of early speed. But this race doesn't seem likely to have a quick early pace, giving the first flight of horses a slight edge.
Titan Ready (Manny Franco, post 5) and Arctic Wolf (Kendrick Carmouche, post 9) are the likely pacesetters, with McMoon (Chris Elliott, post 7) just behind. Closers like Metallican (30-1, post 3) -- who is 3-for-3 -- will have to weave their way through traffic into slow early fractions. Not an optimal win scenario.
Let's look at the top contenders
Is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for trainer Brad Cox. The colt by Title Ready comes in off a four-length maiden win at fourth asking at Belmont on Sept. 19 going 6 ½ furlongs. He finished second in his first three starts (the first two for trainer Sid Attard, including the listed Victoria Stakes) and the other for Cox in the Skidmore Stakes. With a win over this course already, Titan Ready is a worthy favorite.
“I thought he was impressive when he broke his maiden up there [at Saratoga], and we’ll give him a shot in the stakes and see how he stacks up,'' Cox said. "We like him. He can handle the sprint distances and showed that at Saratoga and Belmont, but we are hopeful he might have a little distance in his future. He’s a sturdy horse that’s shipped around and handled all we’ve asked of him, and I think we’re going to run him with confidence this weekend.”
is the second choice at 3-1. Rather than run his filly in the listed Stewart Manor Stakes (for fillies only), trainer Tom Morley is taking on the boys in the Awad. The Golden Pal filly finished a solid third in the 6-furlong Matron Stakes (G3) behind a pair of fillies that went on to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), Brickyard Belle and Harper's Corner. Use in trifecta.
More Champagne won in her debut, then ran 19th of 27 in the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot in June and fifth in the listed Bolton Landing Stakes at Saratoga in August. Morley believes his filly can run well in this field, and a three-pound weight allowance doesn't hurt.
Ships in for trainer Jack Sisterson after winning the listed Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 3. The Frosted colt has improved his speed figures in each of his four starts. His win at Santa Anita came from the outside post, so why not try to clear the field or hang with leaders? Win contender.
Riyadh Way (8-1), a 2-year-old gelding, was shipped north after winning consecutive turf sprints at Gulfstream Park, including the listed Hollywood Beach Stakes. He drew post 4 and will be ridden again by Heriberto Figueroa. He has shown he can win on the lead or as a stalker.
In the 5-furlong Hollywood Beach Stakes, he overcame traffic trouble by rallying on the outside from seventh for a 1 3/4-length win. He also won gate-to-wire in his maiden win on Aug. 23.
“He was real professional; he sat and waited as we taught him in the mornings because we thought there was a lot of speed,” trainer Tarek Moubarak said. “He sat, relaxed, and made a nice move. He’s moved forward from that race, and I’m hoping for a big run. The six furlongs should suit him perfectly.”
Titan Ready is the favorite for a reason – he's the most reliable in the field. He's won over the course, and the Franco-Cox team is faring well at Belmont. A clean trip from this front-runner, and he'll be hard to catch.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
