Aqueduct: Wilzada left alone on lead

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Wilzada broke sharply from the gate and jockey Mario Pino began to look around for some pace pressure. It never came.

Thus, Wilzada was able to cruise through relatively easy fractions early and splash home a five-length winner of the $81,850 Interborough Handicap before a crowd of 15,024 at rainy, raw Aqueduct.

Blinded By Love, who challenged Wilzada around the turn, settled for second, a half-length ahead of Bonefide Reason. Shawklit Mint, who was 3 for 3 on wet tracks entering the race, finished a distant fifth.

It was the third straight victory and eighth in 11 career starts for Wilzada, a 4-year-old daughter of Meadowlake. Wilzada is owned by William Beatson Jr. and trained by Tony Dutrow, who won two races on the card.

Wilzada ($5.20) covered the six furlongs in 1:10.16 over a sloppy track.

"She broke and [Pino] was looking and looking and no one was coming,'' Dutrow said. "It was so easy; they kind of let us have it.''

Dutrow said Wilzada would most likely make her next start in the Grade 2, $200,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel Park on Feb. 15.