OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A three-time stakes winner going one mile against New York-breds in 2023, Dr Ardito looks to kick off 2024 in similar fashion when he heads a field of seven entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Haynesfield Stakes at Aqueduct. Dr Ardito, a 6-year-old gelding trained by Chad Brown for Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso, outfought the millionaire Bankit to win last year’s Haynesfield by a head. Later in 2023, he posted victories in the Evan Shipman at Saratoga and the Alex M. Robb at Aqueduct. Dr Ardito has tried open company three times He was unsuccessful in the slop in the Parx Dirt Mile and mud at Aqueduct in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile, and finished a solid second behind Everso Mischievous in the Grade 2 Forty Niner over a fast track last October. “We dipped our toe in the water against open company and we did get second in the Grade 2,” Dubb said. “At this level, against the New York-breds, he’s really a solid fit.” Dr Ardito is 6 for 8 in statebred competition. Dubb named this horse after Dr. Anthony Ardito, “one of my closest friends,” Dubb said, and chief medical officer of Catholic Health Services on Long Island. Dr Ardito does his best running from off the pace, and there does appear to be speed in the Haynesfield with Maker’s Candy and Mama’s Gold in the field. Manny Franco rides Dr Ardito, the 124-pound highweight, from post 3. Maker’s Candy, a son of Twirling Candy, has reeled off three consecutive wins and is 4 for 5 overall going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct. His lone defeat was actually a victory from which he was disqualified in last year’s Gander Stakes. His last three wins have come on Lasix, medication he won’t be permitted to use in a stakes race. Two of the three times Maker’s Candy did not cross the finish line first against New York-breds were in the New York Derby and Albany, both races around two turns. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. “Looks like his best is one turn,” trainer Mike Maker said. “We had to try those races last summer, and it didn’t work out. He’s really matured, filled out nice; expect a big 4-year-old campaign.” Jose Lezcano rides Maker’s Candy from post 7. Mama’s Gold was formerly trained by Maker and is a half-brother to the 3-year-old filly My Mane Squeeze, who won last Sunday’s Maddie May Stakes. Mama’s Gold, claimed by Chad Summers for $25,000 13 months ago, has won his last three starts against New York-breds Anejo was expected to scratch from a Friday allowance race for this spot. The Doug O’Neill-trained son of Freud won two of his last three starts before going to the sidelines last May. He has been training this winter at Keeneland. Overstep, who is 3 for 4 versus New York-breds; Olympic Dreams, cross-entered in a Friday allowance against open company; and Whittington Park, who came off a five-month layoff with an open-company allowance win, complete the field. The Haynesfield, named after the New York-bred who won the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2010, goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that begins at 1:20 p.m. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.