Aqueduct: Hardened Wildcat possible for Bay Shore

Trainer Chad Brown’s stable had an excellent weekend, winning stakes races at three different tracks. That included a one-two finish with Hardened Wildcat and Beggarthyneighbor in the $100,000 Fred “Cappy” Capossela for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.

Brown also won the Grade 3 Hillsborough at Tampa with Zagora and Sunday’s Grade 3 Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream with Dayatthespa.

Hardened Wildcat, a son of Hard Spun owned by Ebby Novak’s New Farm, rallied from last to first in the stretch to get the 1 3/4-length victory over Beggarthyneighbor. Hardened Wildcat, who won for the third straight time, ran six furlongs in 1:10.89 and earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

Brown said he believes Hardened Wildcat will stretch out a little farther in distance and will point to either the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore, seven furlongs over Aqueduct’s main track on April 7, or wait two more weeks for the Grade 2, $200,000 Jerome at one mile on April 21.

“Hardened Wildcat looks like he’ll stretch out further,” Brown said. “I’ll keep Beggarthyneighbor at sprint distances.”

The Bay Shore could be a spot for Beggarthyneighbor though Brown believes he could be a six-furlong specialist.

“He’s very talented,” Brown said. “The major part of his schedule will include six-furlong races.”