Aqueduct December 7 Raceday Preview takes shape as the track prepares for a winter Sunday that promises more emotion than routine. With eight races set between 12:40pm and 4:04pm, the day is expected to rise steadily from a quiet seasonal hum into a full-throttle afternoon shaped by two stakes carrying weight, memory and ambition. The crowd will look toward the moments where instinct meets heart, especially as familiar stories return to centre stage in the Garland of Roses and the Comely.
The Garland of Roses will set the stakes tone, bringing a sprint loaded with urgency and sentiment. Race 6 — The Garland of Roses — will carry an emotional pulse built around Patricia Ann, a filly whose very name holds memory and meaning for the connections who have stood behind her with both pride and grief. That mix of love and resolve is expected to settle over the paddock the moment she steps out.
The Comely will follow with deeper intensity. Race 7 — The Comely (G3) — stretches young fillies into a mile and an eighth that often exposes who is ready to rise. The spotlight is expected to fall on Kappa Kappa, the filly whose grit and willingness to fight have turned her into one of the most intriguing stories heading into the weekend.
Together, the two stakes will anchor a December afternoon shaped by anticipation, emotion and the onset of Aqueduct’s winter rhythm. Sunday is expected to deliver a card that won’t just entertain — it will set the tone for the month.
THE CROWN RACES — THE TWO TITLES GUIDING THE AFTERNOON
GARLAND OF ROSES STAKES — $150,000
Race 6 • 3:06pm • 6F • Fillies & Mares 3+ • 8 contenders
The opening stakes sprint is expected to bring early electricity. This is where gate speed will matter, where reaction time may define the outcome, and where pressure will sit heavy on horses and riders from the first stride. Patricia Ann will carry her own emotional dimension, representing a story that reaches beyond form and into family. That depth will likely add weight to the atmosphere around her.
Contenders:
RELIABLE LADY, PATRICIA ANN, VOLLEYBALLPRINCESS, THE BIG CALHOUNA, SUNDAY GIRL, WITH THE ANGELS, TRICKY TEMPER, HOLD YOUR BREATH
COMELY STAKES (G3) — $200,000
Race 7 • 3:35pm • 1 1/8M • 3YO Fillies • 8 contenders
The feature will shift the afternoon into its long, steady heartbeat. The Comely often reveals the fillies who will grow into stronger forces by spring, and this edition may continue that pattern. Kappa Kappa enters with a reputation for resilience, stepping into the race with rising confidence and a style that hints she may thrive when the pressure deepens.
Contenders:
NOTICEABLE, VALTELLINA, OURDAYDREAMINGGIRL, RUTH, KAPPA KAPPA, FULLY SUBSCRIBED, YES IT TIZ, QUIETSIDE
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY — THE STORYLINES SETTING THE ENERGY
• A stakes double driving the winter card
• Sprinters vs stayers
• Aqueduct’s winter stage shifting into gear
• Tension in the paddock
THE UNDERCARD — A CLEAN RHYTHM LEADING UP TO THE STAKES
• Race 1 (12:40pm, 1 Mile, $43,000)
• Race 2 (1:09pm, 6F, $48,000)
• Race 3 (1:38pm, 6F, $81,000)
• Race 4 (2:08pm, 6F, $48,000)
• Race 5 (2:37pm, 1 Mile, $38,000)
• Race 8 (4:04pm, 1 Mile, $31,000)
THE ANTICIPATION TAKES HOLD
Sunday is set to carry momentum, emotion and clear seasonal direction. With two major stakes at its heart and a supporting card built for smooth rhythm, Aqueduct December 7 Raceday Preview outlines a program designed to be felt as much as watched. Once the gates open, the winter stage will be ready and the atmosphere will likely hold long after the last horse returns to the barn.
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