Photo:

NYRA / Chelsea Durand / Coglianese Photo

Cyclone State got to the front early and took the rail path en
route to a 3 1/2-length victory Saturday in the $150,000 Jerome Stakes, a
Kentucky Derby 2025 points prep on a 33-degree Saturday at Aqueduct.

Ridden by Luis Rivera for trainer Chad Summers, the
Iowa-bred colt by McKinzie set early fractions of 23.43, 47.25 and 1:13.20 on
the way to a winning time of 1:40.82 going the one-turn mile on the main track.

Click here for Aqueduct entries and results.

Making his stakes debut, Cyclone State (3-1) raced to his
third consecutive victory after breaking his maiden on fourth asking and then
scoring in an $80,000 allowance, both times during the fall over the same
course and distance as the Jerome.

Omaha Omaha (7-1) rallied from 11 1/2 lengths back in last to place
second in the field of seven 3-year-olds. Ican (5-2) came in another 3 1/4 lengths back in third, a head better than post-time favorite Studlydoright (9-5) in fourth. Mansetti (7-1) finished 19 more lengths up the track in fifth, a neck ahead of sixth-place Georgia Magic (11-1). Enduring Spirit (46-1) wound up last, 39 1/2 lengths behind the winner.

Maiden winner McAfee, who was the 2-1 favorite on the
morning line, was scratched for what was reported by Daily Racing Form
to be a small infection in his leg. By Cloud Computing, McAfee is a half-brother
to would-be 2024 horse of the year Thorpedo Anna.

A $70,000 purchase at the Keeneland yearling sale in September
2023, Cyclone State is owned by Al Gold, George Messina and Michael Lee. Gold
also won last year’s Jerome with Drum Roll Please.

For the top five finishers, the Jerome was worth 10-5-3-2-1 points
toward qualifying for the Derby.

This story will be updated by Horse Racing Nation’s Matt
Shifman at Aqueduct.