Aqueduct: Yawanna Twist moves from Dutrow to Parisella

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Yawanna Twist, winner of the Grade 2 General George Handicap at Laurel Park on Feb. 20, has been transferred by owner James Riccio Sr. from Richard Dutrow Jr. to trainer John Parisella in order to be allowed to run in next weekend’s Grade 2 Oaklawn Park Handicap.

Dutrow, who is currently appealing a 10-year ban of his trainer’s license by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, has had difficulties getting licensed in other states after Kentucky denied him a license in spring 2011. In some jurisdictions, such as Oklahoma where Redeemed won the Oklahoma Derby, horses owned by Dutrow’s clients were permitted to run in other trainer’s names.

However, in February, Charles Town stewards ordered I Want Revenge, owned by IEAH Stables, to scratch from the Harrison Johnson Memorial when it was determined that the horse was still in Richard Dutrow Jr.’s care as opposed to Tony Dutrow, under whose name the entry was made.

Approximately two weeks ago, Riccio contacted the Oaklawn stewards to see what had to be done in order for Yawanna Twist to be permitted to run there.

The stewards told Riccio he had to transfer the horse to another trainer and commit to having Yawanna Twist make at least two starts in that trainer’s name, Riccio said. Riccio chose Parisella because he had a relationship with that trainer going back 20 years.

“I asked him if he would do it, he said yes,” Riccio said.

“We were looking for assurances that the horse that was being transferred would stay under the shed row of his new trainer for not just one race but for the foreseeable future, and the owner committed to that,” said Stan Bowker, state steward at Oaklawn. “We can’t force him to stay with the trainer for too long, but we did ask for the foreseeable future. We hope it will be multiple races.”

Parisella said he contacted the Oaklawn stewards himself to make sure everything was worked out to their satisfaction.

“I said ‘Remember one thing, you’re protecting me,’ ” Parisella said he told the stewards. “I said, ‘There’s going to be a lot of rumors, you guys have to be satisfied.’ No way I’m going to be a pawn.”

On Thursday at Belmont Park, Yawanna Twist worked six furlongs in 1:13 under jockey Mike Luzzi.

“That was as good as I’ve had a horse work in a long time,” Parisella said.

Parisella last won a graded stakes in 2000 with Ruby Rubles, who took the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses at Aqueduct.

- additional reporting by Mary Rampellini