The Lead:
Since moving to a 1-turn mile trip in 2013, the Ruffian has enjoyed quite a run of winners. Names like Monomoy Girl, Search Results and Cavorting dot the landscape, not to mention Wedding Toast - who last week became a Kentucky Oaks-winning dam when her unbeaten Good Cheer secured the lilies. The Grade 2 $200,000 event returns Saturday as Race 10 on a multi-stakes card at the Big A that includes the Peter Pan for Belmont Stakes prospects.

​Field Depth:
GUN SONG and MY MANE SQUEEZE are Grade 2 winners and both Grade 1-placed. DAZZLING MOVE is a Grade 3 winner. JODY'S PRIDE and MORNING MATCHA own Grade 1 placings. STERLING SILVER is multiple Grade 2-placed. MY MANE SQUEEZE, GUN SONG and JODY'S PRIDE have held the strongest company lines over time.
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Pace:
Rail-drawn TAKETHEMONEYHONEY will be hustling, along with HERE'S THE KICKER and DAZZLING MOVE. Don't expect GUN SONG to be far off any pace at any distance. This should be an above-average tempo.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

#1-TAKETHEMONEYHONEY: Just a nose shy of being 4-for-4, this Maryland-bred based out of Parx makes her stakes debut. Lone defeat came in her only Aqueduct venture so far, outdueled by Ruffian return rival Catherine Wheel in a March 15 allowance over this same distance.

#2-MORNING MATCHA: Parx-based veteran makes her 9th trip to the Big A, winning just once in the 2023 New York Stallion Series. The $1 million earner, now age 6, makes her second start off a 6-month layoff. Paco Lopez rides for trainer Butch Reid.

#3-CATHERINE WHEEL: $725,000 Into Mischief filly gets her first graded stakes test following a third-place listed stakes try in Laurel's Heavenly Cause. Two-time Ruffian-winning trainer Chad Brown turns the reins to Flavien Prat for the first time. Filly is 2-for-2 at the Ruffian distance at Aqueduct, including a nose allowance win March 15 over re-matched rival Takethemoneyhoney.

#4-STERLING SILVER: Trainer Bill Mott looks to add to his Kentucky Derby success last week with Sovereignty when sending this 6-year-old millionaire into open company. She's been strong against New York-breds, including a win April 6 in her 2025 return race in the Biogio's Rose over this same track/distance. Mott won this race in 1984 with Heatherten.

#5-HERE'S THE KICKER: Wire-to-wire Gulfstream allowance winner when last seen March 8 for Saffie Joseph Jr., who trained last year's Ruffian winner Soul of an Angel. Liam's Map filly has yet to try a stakes and will be making her first start outside Florida. Ricardo Santana has the mount for the first time.

#6-DAZZLING MOVE: Trainer Saffie Joseph's more experienced of entrants in the Ruffian compared to Here's the Kicker as the trainer looks for back-to-back wins in this race. Well-traveled daughter of Not This Time won the Grade 3 Royal Delta at Gulfstream in February in her first start since transferring from Mike Trombetta's barn. Faded late in the Grade 1 Madison last out when 24-1 odds but fits better here under Irad Ortiz Jr.

#7-CLARET BERET: Oaklawn allowance winner has changed locales from Greg Compton's outfit to Saffie Joseph Jr. since last racing in March. Cross-entered Sunday at Gulfstream in an overnight handicap. Daughter of Not This Time has yet to test the stakes waters while winning 4 of 11 starts.

#8-JODY'S PRIDE: The 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up comes in with a 4-race losing streak soiling her flashy past form. Dull fifth to Thorpedo Anna et al in the Grade 2 Azeri at Oaklawn in March. But her 1-turn form is exceptional (4: 3-0-1), including a narrow third in the Grade 2 Inside Information at Gulfstream in January. Joel Rosario rides for Jorge Abreu.

#9-GUN SONG: Classy filly was among the top sophomores of her class in 2024, but has only 1 start this year against elders -- a disappointing third as the 4-5 favorite in a March 13 Gulfstream allowance mile. Regular rider John Velazquez returns aboard this daughter Gun Runner for trainer Mark Hennig. Her morning workout tab indicates a move forward could be imminent.

#10-MY MANE SQUEEZE: Mike Maker trainee opened her 4-year-old season with a promising third-place finish in Keeneland's Grade 1 Madison Stakes (her first test vs. elders). The New York-bred rattled off a trio of restricted stakes wins at Aqueduct early in her career but has more than accounted for herself in open company, winning the Grade 2 Eight Belles and Grade 3 Dogwood, both at Churchill Downs. The one to beat under Manny Franco.

#11-HEADLINE NUMBERS: Aqueduct's Top Flight winner over 1-1/8 miles cuts back the trip to the 1-turn mile in which she debuted a winner locally last July 24. Trainer Chad Brown has a pair of Ruffian trophies in his case and turns to Dylan Davis once again on this Gun Runner filly.

Most Likely Exotics Contender:
MY MANE SQUEEZE is 13-for-14 in the superfecta lifetime and should get a good pace set-up while owning a sharp record over the track and distance.

Best Longshot Contender:
JODY'S PRIDE is a much better filly around 1 turn than 2 based on her form and can rebound here.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$80 win MY MANE SQUEEZE. $10 exacta part-wheel MY MANE SQUEEZE over JODY'S PRIDE, DAZZLING MOVE ($20).