By ED FOUNTAINE

Congratulations to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, 51, who sent out his 1,000th winner in North America when Que Posse won Friday’s eighth race at Aqueduct.

That doesn’t include more than 300 winners McLaughlin, a former assistant to D. Wayne Lukas, saddled in Dubai training for Sheikh Mohammed.

Que Posse, a 5-year-old gelding making his first start since August at Monmouth Park, got a perfect set-up.

Head Heart Hoof, favored at 7-5, and 17-1 Hewitts dueled for the lead to the top of the stretch, when Hewitts, David Cohen up, took command.

But Que Posse, after rallying wide under jockey Eddie Castro, blew by Hewitts inside the final furlong and drew clear at 10-1.

NYRA, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. yesterday announced a new program, TAKE2, to create second careers for horses after their racing days are over.

NYRA, NYTHA and NYTB will co-sponsor thoroughbred divisions for hunters and jumpers at four horse shows in Saratoga this spring and summer, while also contributing to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s new program to adopt and retrain 100 horses a year from NYRA tracks.

SECOND RACE: Apprentice Jose Rodriguez gunned Stay Composed, 8-5 dropping into a 12.5G maiden claimer from 35G, up the rail to duel with 8-1 Believe in Betty, Luis Perez up.

As those two waged a battle down the stretch, Stay Composed dug in to hold Believe in Betty safe. But she was no match for 8-5 favorite Peach Baby, a close second at this level last out, who rallied wide under Junior Alvarado to take command late.

SEVENTH RACE: Smokin’ Alice, 4-1 under Cornelio Velazquez, and Downhill Joey, the 4-5 favorite with Irad Ortiz Jr. riding, locked horns in a speed duel down the backside that carried them well clear of the rest of the field. Downhill Joey edged away to open daylight on the turn, and the race appeared to be over. But Velasquez got Smokin’ Alice going again, and she ran down Downhill Joey in deep stretch.