Linda Rice leading trainer and owner at Aqueduct winter meet; Manny Franco top rider

Linda Rice led all trainers with 51 wins at the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet, while also claiming the owner's title during the 45-day meeting, which began on January 1. 

Rice, topping the trainer’s ranks, captured the Aqueduct winter meet for the third consecutive year after pacing the 2023 meet with 37 wins and repeating that feat last year with 23 victories. She secured her fifth winter meet title overall with past scores from 2019-2020 to go along with her now three straight. 

“It has been a very good winter for us. The conditions were pretty rough this winter so I am glad to see spring coming because it was a hard winter weather wise,” Rice said. “The horses performed well, and my staff really put in a Grade A effort all winter long under tough conditions, so I’m really proud of them.”

Rice, 61, posted a record of 217-51-38-29 with $2,550,781 in earnings, good for a win rate of 23.50 percent and an in-the-money rate of 54.38 percent. Her meet was highlighted by New York-bred stakes wins with Sand Devil [Damon Runyon] and Sheriff Bianco [Say Florida Sandy]. 

Rick Dutrow, Jr., finished second with 18 wins and Rudy Rodriguez was third with 14 wins. 

Rice led the owner’s standings with 22 victories to secure her third career ownership crown. She added to past titles for the 2023 Aqueduct fall meet [tied with Klaravich Stables], after capturing that meet in 2022. 

Rice, as an owner, posted a record of 81-22-15-8, led by a pair of allowance-level scores from Save Us Melania who she claimed out of a win in August at Saratoga Race Course, with her starters banking a total of $893,565. 

“I jump in and take horses whether it be for clients or for myself, if I don’t have a client that is interested. In the winter, I feel like that makes a lot of sense,” Rice said. “I’m always trying to find new avenues and ways that work.” 

Michael Dubb was second with 12 wins and Sanford J. Goldfarb finished third with 11 victories. 

Jockey Manny Franco captured his fifth Aqueduct winter meet riding title when posting 64 wins. The 30-year-old native of Carolina, Puerto Rico closed his 2024 campaign atop the Aqueduct fall meet leaderboard, and he resumed where he left off to claim back-to-back local riding titles.  

Franco added to past winter meet titles from 2018-2020 and in 2023. He showed the way this winter through a ledger of 285-64-64-56 with earnings of $3,517,680, good for a win rate of 22.46 percent and in-the-money percentage of 64.56. 

“I’m very happy and thankful for the meet that I’ve had. I’m happy for all of the trainers, the owners, and my agent, John Panagot. My agent has been doing a tremendous job with me,” said Franco. “Hopefully, we can keep doing that in the future.”

Franco, who was also NYRA’s year-end leading rider from 2018-19 and in 2023, won a pair of stakes at the meet, including the Listed Withers aboard Captain Cook and the Listed Stymie with New York-bred Bank Frenzy. 

Franco looks forward to the return call aboard Captain Cook in Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, a nine-furlong test for sophomores, which awards 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

“I’m definitely excited. He’s a nice horse, he’s been working good. Hopefully he runs well on Saturday,” said Franco. “All my wins mean a lot. I’m just happy to have had the meet that I’ve had and I’m very thankful.” 

Jose Lezcano finished second with 56 wins and Kendrick Carmouche was third with 46 wins. 

Live racing resumes Thursday to kick off the Aqueduct spring meet with an eight-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. 

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.
 
NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the spring meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.