Aqueduct: Short rest no problem for C C's Pal in Garland of Roses

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After the first time he ran C C’s Pal, trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. got the idea to try to keep the 4-year-old filly sprinting.

But when she drew the outside post in the Grade 2 Go for Wand on Nov. 25, Dutrow decided to put those plans on hold and run her in that one-mile race. When the Aqueduct racing office called Dutrow on Wednesday to let him know Saturday’s six-furlong Garland of Roses was coming up light, Dutrow decided to wheel the filly back in eight days off her third-place Go for Wand finish.

Dutrow found out that C C’s Pal can indeed sprint as she wore down the pacesetting Isn’t She Grand inside the 70-yard marker to win the $63,700 Garland of Roses by 2 1/4 lengths. Isn’t She Grand held second, 8 1/4 lengths in front of Cinco de Mayo Mio. Ms Vanenzza and Afaaf completed the order of finish.

The win was the sixth from 24 starts for C C’s Pal, a daughter of Alex’s Pal owned by Eric Fein. She has now earned $406,086.

“When we ran her seven-eighths [Oct. 23], it looked like she had it every step of the way,’’ said Dutrow, referring to an overnight stakes victory by C C’s Pal. “We thought, why not take her off the pace a little bit and see if she can finish sprinting? She drew such a good post the other day, we took a shot and ran her the other day and she ran big. Who would know that she would sprint on the inner track coming back in eight days? I didn’t know that. Anybody who asked me, I’d say I’m just hoping.’’

Under Junior Alvarado, C C’s Pal raced in third, inside of Cinco de Mayo Mio, as both were chasing Isn’t She Grand, who set fractions of 23.97 seconds and 46.86 for the half-mile.

Alvarado guided C C’s Pal off the rail in upper stretch, and she collared Isn’t She Grand and drew clear. C C’s Pal covered the six furlongs in 1:10.56 and returned $4.10 to win.

“At the quarter pole I started asking, she started giving me kick,’’ Alvarado said. “At the eighth pole when I switched my stick, she started running like she just broke out of the gate.’’

Dutrow said he would likely keep C C’s Pal in New York for her next start, which could come in a sprint or a route.