OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The addition of blinkers appeared to make quite the difference for Pretty Magical when she showed grit and determination to win her maiden race by two lengths last month. On Thursday, Pretty Magical takes on winners for the first time in a first-level allowance/optional $80,000 claiming race for 3-year-old fillies that serves as the feature on Aqueduct’s eight-race card. At the suggestion of Kendrick Carmouche, trainer Mark Hennig put blinkers on Pretty Magical following the filly’s 22 1/2-length defeat at Aqueduct on Jan. 5. On Feb. 28, with Romero Maragh aboard, Pretty Magical battled back along the inside after getting passed by odds-on favorite Material Girl and drew away from that one for a two-length maiden win. “Definitely encouraged by that,” Hennig said. “Felt like the blinkers definitely helped her. It did come up a slow race, but it was a weird track that day, heavy, and I was proud of her fighting back on the inside.” :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Hennig said Carmouche recommended the blinkers following that Jan. 5 race because Pretty Magical “was more worried about everything else than going forward,” Hennig said. “They definitely moved her forward.” Though this race is run at the same one-mile distance at which Pretty Magical won her maiden, Hennig said he would like to stretch Pretty Magical out in distance at some point. “I would love to get her around two turns,” he said. “She’s a touch one-paced and I think she’d like that. Anytime you step up against winners, it’s always a challenge but she’s definitely a 3-year-old filly headed in the right direction.” Javier Castellano rides Pretty Magical. Lady Rainicorn is also facing winners for the first time. A daughter of Global Campaign trained by William Morey, Lady Rainicorn finished fourth in a six-furlong debut on Feb. 22 before stretching out to a mile on March 16 and winning by 4 3/4 lengths. She was the second horse out of that Feb. 22 race to come back to win. Into Stardom, who was second, won a maiden race here on Sunday. Pocket Queens is seeking her third consecutive win for trainer Christophe Clement. She won a statebred maiden $40,000 claiming race on Jan. 19 and then came back to win a starter allowance by three lengths on March 15. Both wins came with the addition of Lasix and the stretch-out to a mile. Carmen’s Candy Jar won her debut last June and has lost seven straight races since. This might be the lightest field she’s met to date. Cara’s Dreamweaver, Valtellina, and Royal Bobbie complete the field. Gun Song possible for Ruffian Gun Song, the multiple stakes-winning 3-year-old filly in 2024 who finished third in her 4-year-old debut, returned to the work tab Friday at Gulfstream Park, breezing a half-mile in 49.78 seconds. Among the spots trainer Mark Hennig is considering for Gun Song’s next race is the Grade 1, $1 million La Troienne on May 2 at Churchill Downs or the Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian at Aqueduct on May 10. Gun Song, who won the Black-Eyed Susan last May at Pimlico, came within a neck of upsetting Thorpedo Anna in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx last September. She finished her 3-year-old campaign with a head loss to Tarifa in the Grade 2 Mother Goose at Aqueduct. Sent off the favorite in an allowance at Gulfstream on March 13, Gun Song finished third, 6 3/4 lengths behind upset winner Literate in a race where Just F Y I, the 2023 champion 2-year-old filly, finished second. Hennig said Gun Song’s feet were bothering her coming out of that race. “We pulled her shoes for a few days and worked on her feet,” Hennig said. “She’s back doing well.” Hennig said Gun Song would have at least one more work at Gulfstream while he decides whether to ship the horse to New York or Kentucky. Alpine Princess tops Top Flight Alpine Princess, a two-time stakes winner last year, heads a field of six entered for Saturday’s $150,000 Top Flight Stakes at Aqueduct. Alpine Princess won the Untapable Stakes and the Remington Park Oaks at 3. She was beaten a head by Pretty Ana in the Grade 3 Comely Stakes in her lone start Aqueduct last fall. Most recently, Alpine Princess finished fourth behind Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in the Grade 2 Azeri last out. Trainer Chad Brown entered the pair of Catherine Wheel and Headline Numbers, though Catherine Wheel was cross-entered in Saturday’s Heavenly Cause at Laurel. Elliptic, Fade to Grey, and Miss Spitfire complete the field for the Top Flight, run at 1 1/8 miles. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.