Ocasek

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. A little racing experience may be, ahem, just what Ocasek (c, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}--Shananies Song, by Eltish) needed. Carrying the name of Ric Ocasek, the late frontman for The Cars, the Spendthrift Farm colorbearer wasn't off to the sharpest of beginnings from his rail draw and was forced to steady in the early stages traveling 6 1/2 furlongs on debut for Chad Brown in the opener...

1st-Aqueduct, $77,600, Msw, 3-26, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:18.15, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. HARRODSBURG (g, 3, Constitution--Gracer {MSW & GSP, $243,000}, by Exchange Rate), off a sharp work from the gate over at Belmont's training track Mar. 18 (.47, 1/123), vanned over to the 'Big A' for the real thing as the 3-1 third choice on the tote in this spot. Wrestling the lead away, the homebred sped down the backstretch, rounded the far turn in command by posting :45.86 for the first half-mile and extended his lead down the lane...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:20 p.m. Trainer Chad Brown has Aqueduct's first race on closing day bookended with a pair of firsters from his shedrow in OCASEK (Candy Ride {Arg}), who draws the rail with Dylan Davis aboard and to the outside ARMY TIMES (Into Mischief) with Manny Franco in the irons. Both have a Candy Ride connection as the former, who was a $440,000 '21 FTSAUG  purchase by Spendthrift Farm, was sired by him, while the latter's dam, MGSW & MGISP Paid...