Back on turf at Aqueduct for the first time in 2018 this afternoon, with a pair of sprints on the outer course set for races #4 and #7.  There is also a pick six carryover in excess of $43k beginning with that 4th race.  

The feature is an excellent running of the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap, for fillies and mares over seven furlongs.  

#2 Highway Star has been scratched.  

The Distaff centers around recent stakes winners Divine Miss Grey and Sounds Delicious, both of whom enter in razor-sharp form with the figures to back them up.  

Divine Miss Grey got loose on an easy pace when dominating the Heavenly Prize over a one-turn mile last month, but she is not a horse who needs that kind of soft trip to be successful as she looks for a fourth consecutive win for Danny Gargan.

Sound Delicious may be more of a need-the-lead kind of horse, but there is no denying that she has been impressive in her two most recent starts, including that dismantling of the Correction last time.  She will go seven furlongs for the first time here, and she will likely have to deal with a serious challenge from Divine Miss Grey at some point before reaching the stretch, but she is clearly good.  

Linda's other horse is Holiday Disguise, a closing sprinter who may get a better setup in the Distaff than she managed in the Heavenly Prize when forced to go after a loose Divine Miss Grey around the turn.  

I am concerned that she hasn't changed leads in the stretch since returning from an ankle injury in February, but I like that she is cutting back to seven furlongs for this, and the fact that she may catch a bit of a setup into the two favorites. 

The first turf race features a solid field of sprinters going six furlongs.  The NY-bred Epping Forest is four for six in her career sprinting on grass, including a very impressive win while erasing a long deficit in her 2017 finale.  She has a layoff to overcome in this spot, and she is a closer dependant on trip and pace, but she is good.  

Abbreviate is cutting back after failing to do any running at all in her 4yo debut at Gulfstream, but she appears to be a better horse around one-turn.  The question is: does she need a bit more ground than the six furlongs of this race?  I have to use her.  

Jumby Bay faced a better field last time when closing some late ground in stakes company, and she won clear when switched back to turf sprinting in her first start of the year.  I'm just not sure how good she is.  

Kasuga has earned some big figures and she owns dangerous speed for Mott, though she didn't appear to have much of an excuse after gaining early control last time.  

The other turf race appears to go through the speedy Awsum Roar, who is back to turf for her second off an extended layoff.  She is getting a trainer change to the great Jason Servis, and she is likely to make the early lead in this race.  

I'm using her, though without totally trusting her, and will try to beat her with Rock Ave. Road.  It may not appear to be the case on paper, but I thought Rock Ave. Road actually improved last year while concentrating on turf sprints, as she had several trips in her races that didn't work out all that well.  None of that may matter if Awsum Roar can still run, but there is at least some question surrounding that proposition.  

First post coming up at 1:20 ET.  Scratches and changes for the Friday card are here.