2016 Distaff Handicap Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 3 Distaff Handicap is on tap for this Sunday, April 17 at Aqueduct in Queens, New York. Fillies and mares four years old and upward will be featured when they take to Aqueduct's dirt track and race seven furlongs for the winner's share of the $200,000 purse.

A field of seven have been confirmed for the Distaff Handicap - race 8 on Aqueduct's Sunday schedule. Post time is 5:11 PM. Let's take s glance into the past performances of all seven combatants for this Grade 3 Handicap including the top three finishers from last summer's Test Stakes.

2016 Distaff Handicap Race Preview at Aqueduct

Cavorting 9-5 - has nine career starts with five wins and a third place finish. She enters off an OK third in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita back on December 26 which followed a somewhat disappointing fourth as favorite in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (from an undesirable post 14) and a nice three race win streak - the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga September 16, the Grade 1 Test Stakes August 8 and the minor Jersey Girl Stakes June 5 at Belmont Park. She also recorded a terrific win in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga August 10 , 2014 and had an 11 length a maiden score in wire-to-wire fashion at Belmont Park July 3, 2014. Cavorting had been a tad up and down but has placed in four of her last five starts overall ahead of this weekend. She looks for her first win since September however when she departs from gate 4 with Irad Ortiz guiding the morning line favorite.

Paulassilverlining 2-1 - Michelle Nevin trained filly has placed in nine of 11 career starts - four wins, three seconds and two third place finishes. She won the Grade 2 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park in October, 2014 and went on to a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Tempted Stakes on this track to end her 2014 campaign - she also won the minor Ruthless Stakes here in January, 2015. She hasn't raced in graded stakes company since but has looked good against lesser competition. Last time out was a second in the minor Correction Stakes here March 19 after an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track February 11 and consecutive thirds in minor stakes action at Laurel Park to end 2015. Paulassilverlining has been a factor in every race so far in her career and hopes to be again Sunday. She tries for her first graded stakes score in 18 months from the rail as the morning line second choice with Jose Ortiz aboard.

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Bar of Gold 4-1 - won her first three career starts - all at Aqueduct for trainer John Kimmel and has been up and down in six starts since. She enters off a disappointing sixth in the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 19 which followed three straight runner-up finishes - the Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run Stakes October 17, the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga September 6 and behind Cavorting in the Grade 1 Test Stakes on that track in August. She also had a fourth in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks July 11 and a sixth in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes in June. Bar of Gold looks for her first ever stakes score and had certainly been knocking on the door before last time out. She looks for a strong bounce back from post 5 Sunday with Jose Lezcano Junior Alvarado in the reins of the third betting choice.

By the Moon 6-1 - Michelle Nevin trained filly has three wins, three seconds and a third place finish in nine career starts. She was last seen running third behind Cavorting and Bar of Gold in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga August 8 which followed consecutive runner-up finishes - the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes last time out June 6 at Belmont Park and the minor Parx Oaks in May. She also had a win in the minor Caesar's Wish Stakes in March and off-the-board finishes in two graded stakes races - a fifth in the Grade 2 Forward Gal and an eighth in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She also had a good win in the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes in October, 2014. By the Moon aims for her second Grade 1 score in her return from action after nine months away - from post 3 with Jose Ortiz guiding her.

La Madrina 10-1 - Shug McGaughey trained mare has three wins and four third place finishes in 11 career starts. She won three of her first four career starts but hasn't tasted victory since. Last time out was a third in the minor Garland of Roses Stakes here in December after a fourth in the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm Stakes in October and off-the-board finishes in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races in August at Saratoga. La Madrina aims for her first stakes score and first win overall since September, 2014. Kendrick Carmouche has been tabbed to ride from post 3.

My Savannah Belle 20-1 - Assaf Ronen trained mare has three wins and a runner-up finish in six career starts - all on this track and makes her graded stakes debut Sunday. Last time out was a fourth place finish in the minor Correction Stakes March 19 after a year away from the track, a Starter Stakes score in March, 2015 and a second and a fifth respectively in a pair of Allowance races to start 2015. My Savannah Belle looks as though she will be in over her head Sunday when she lines up from gate 2 with Jacqueline Davis in the saddle.

Madam Aamoura 20-1 - has 17 career starts for Rudy Rodriguez with just two wins, here seconds and five third place finishes. She makes her graded stakes debut Sunday off a disappointing seventh on this track April 9, an Allowance score here February 21 and two straight off-the-board finishes in Allowance Optional Claiming races to end 2015. Her only stakes action came in September, 2014 and resulted in a third in the minor Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf. She steps up having failed to place in three of her last four starts and looks to be in n tough in this one. Eric Cancel has been scheduled to ride from gate 6.

2016 Distaff Handicap Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Aqueduct's Sunday card with a Post Time of 5:11 PM.