Sportswriter, Sunny Desert seek another NYSS win

Sportswriter, already a winner of a New York Stallion Stakes on the turf,

will try to win his first NYSS on the dirt when he competes in Wednesday's

$100,000

Thunder Rumble division at Aqueduct.

The Thunder Rumble is one of two NYSS races on Wednesday's card, the other

being the $100,000

Staten Island division for fillies and mares. Both races are seven furlongs.

Sportswriter captured the Cab Calloway division of an NYSS for

three-year-olds going one mile on the turf at Saratoga in August. Trained by

Rudy Rodriguez, the gelded son of Maybry's Boy has sprinted in his two most

recent starts, a sixth in Belmont's Groovy overnight stakes against open company

on the grass in September and a fourth against New York-breds in the Hudson over

that venue's main track on October 20.

Javier Castellano was aboard for Sportswriter's win in the Cab Calloway and

his last start, and retains the mount on the gray 1-4 morning-line favorite

Wednesday.

Frisky Warrior, owned and trained by Ralph D'Alessandro, ships south to

Aqueduct off four straight allowance wins at Finger Lakes. He was last seen

prevailing by a half-length in a state-bred allowance in the mud on November 2.

Jaime Rodriguez, aboard Frisky Warrior since the winning streak began, makes

the trip with the Desert Warrior gelding.

Game Token, Anaphylaxis, Dave's Shadow, Keltic Fighter and Maggie's Hadder

complete the field.

In the Staten Island, Sunny Desert aims for her fifth straight win and third

in a stakes. After breaking her maiden by 15 1/4 lengths in March at Aqueduct in

her sixth start, the Wild Desert sophomore rallied along the rail to win the

Park Avenue division of the NYSS by a nose in May at Belmont. Since then, she

has added wins in a Saratoga optional claimer in July and Belmont's Judy Soda

overnight stakes on September 14.

Ramon Dominguez, Sunny Desert's regular rider, has the assignment once again

for trainer John Parisella. The chestnut miss is the 3-5 favorite on the morning

line.

Staten Island defending champion Lady on the Run took the Arctic Queen

Handicap in July at Finger Lakes and enters Wednesday's race off a sixth in the

Fleet Indian in August at Saratoga and a third in the Iroquois on October 20 at

Belmont. Mike Luzzi has the call aboard the Ten Most Wanted four-year-old.

The field also includes Haldane, Mah Jong Maddnes and Jitney.

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