Fort Marcy

Bushwood Stable's BETTER TALK NOW (Talkin Man) started off his six-year-old

season in style on Saturday, taking the $107,400

Fort Marcy H. (G3) at Aqueduct

under jockey Ramon Dominguez. Trained by H. Graham Motion, the bay gelding

tracked along the rail as Chilly Rooster (Arch) went the first

quarter in :24 3/5. The leader was pressured by Remind (Deputy Minister) from

the start and yielded to that rival by the time a half had been run in :48 4/5.

Remind continued to lead the field through fractions of 1:12 2/5 and 1:36 2/5,

but suddenly found Better Talk Now to his outside as Dominguez guided the

eventual winner off the rail and around the pacesetter to post a neck victory at

the wire. Sent off the 4-5 favorite, Better Talk Now stopped the clock in 1:42

3/5 on the good track and paid $3.60, $2.70 and $2.30.

Remind held second by 1 1/2 lengths as the 7-2 third choice and returned

$3.50 and $2.70 while ending the $11 exacta. Ecclesiastic (Pulpit) rounded out

the top three and the $42.80 trifecta (2-3-4) at 12-1, returning $3. Chilly

Rooster finished another 1 1/2 lengths farther back in fourth while L'oiseau

D'argent (Silver Hawk) completed the order of finish. Say Cousin Lenny (Smart

Strike) was scratched while Aggadan (Carnivalay), Thunder Touch (Gulch), Bahama

John (Saint Ballado), Chowder's First (Let Goodtimes Roll) and Bailero (Arg)

(Roy) were all listed as main-track only entrants.

Better Talk Now scored in the Sword Dancer Invitational H. (G1) last year,

then captured the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) prior to finishing out his 2004 season

with a close sixth in the Hollywood Turf Cup (G1). He also owns wins in the

Knickerbocker H. (G2) and Eight Thirty S., as well as four black-type placings, and

improved his record to 26-9-5-2 with $1,810,077 in earnings.

Bred in Kentucky by Wimborne Farm Inc., Better Talk Now is out of the

stakes-placed Bendita (Baldski) and counts as half-siblings stakes winner B. A.

Way (Lasting Approval), an unraced four-year-old filly named Be So Nice (Gold

Tribute) and a yearling colt named Better Be Ready (More than Ready).

Motion said Better Talk Now would now point toward for the May 21 Dixie S.

(G2) at Pimlico on the Preakness S. (G1) undercard.