Drain the Clock Much the Best in Bay Shore

OZONE PARK, NY – Drain the Clock and Irad Ortiz Jr. led every step of the way as the 1/5 favorite in Saturday’s $200,000 Bay Shore Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct.

He was geared down late and won by 1 3/4 lengths for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

“He just wants to break out of there. He broke a little [slow] out of there but he put himself right away into the race and took me to the lead,” said Ortiz, Jr., who returned to New York fresh off a riding title at Gulfstream Park. “I let him relax and then I asked him to go and he was running hard to the wire.”

Whiskey Double, Too Boss, Beren and Garoppolo completed the order of finish.

This is Drain the Clock’s 2nd win at the graded stakes level including the Swale Stakes (G3) and improved his record to 7-5-1-0. The 3-year-old Maclean’s Music colt has now earned $319,550 for Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stablles LLC, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig.

Drain the Clock returned $2.70 to win, and $2.10 to place. There was no show wagering.

“I thought he kicked away well at the top of the lane and did what he had to do. If you ease up on him, he’s going to relax,” Joseph, Jr. said. “The five [Beren] didn’t get a good break, unfortunately, and we didn’t get pressed. If that horse went, we were going to sit. He’s a very versatile horse and he doesn’t need the lead.

“I’ll talk it over with the ownership group. The Woody Stephens was in play even before this race but this puts it even more up there,” Joseph, Jr. said. “It’s definitely on the radar. The Woody Stephens and Allen Jerkens are the types of races you want to be in. If we could win one it would be nice, if we could win both it would be great.”