Battle Bling streaks into Go for Wand

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Battle Bling will look for her fourth consecutive victory while putting the bow on a banner campaign one year after being claimed when she heads a field of 11 entered in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Go for Wand Stakes at Aqueduct.

Claimed for $62,500 by owner Michael Dubb and trainer Rob Atras last Dec. 19, Battle Bling has four wins – including three stakes – and four seconds from nine starts and has earned $469,250 in 2022. Though Battle Bling won the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm at 1 1/8 miles in her most recent start, Battle Bling has run equally well in one-turn mile races. The Go for Wand is run as a one-turn mile.

Atras sees Battle Bling’s recent success owing to her being more forward in her races. That presents a little bit of a concern Saturday in a field with other speed in the race.

“We kind of tweaked her running style a little, we put her a little more forwardly placed, and it seems to be working,” Atras said. “With that being said, it looks like there’s a lot of speed on paper in the race. I hope she can sit not too far back without having to use herself. That’ll be up to Kendrick [Carmouche] and her.”

The last time Battle Bling raced a one-turn mile, she was beaten a neck by Bank Sting in the Heavenly Prize Invitational here in March. Bank Sting is back in this spot Saturday, stretching back out to a mile following a second-place finish in the Iroquois Stakes going 6 1/2 furlongs on Oct. 30. Bank Sting is seeking graded black type after finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Ruffian in May.

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Bank Sting, trained by John Terranova, is 4 for 7 over a wet track and 6 for 8 at Aqueduct. Joel Rosario rides from post 10.

The Parx Racing-based Love in the Air comes in off two Pennsylvania-bred stakes wins. Those races have been conducted around two turns. Love in the Air did win a six-furlong dirt race in May at Monmouth Park by 10 lengths.

“She’s run really good going one turn, that’s why we decided to try this,” trainer John Servis said. “She’s run well on the lead, but she likes to have a target.”

Servis would prefer Love in the Air did not have the rail. Paco Lopez rides.

Dr B, trained by Butch Reid, also ships up from Parx for the second straight race. She finished a solid second to Boston Post Road in the Pumpkin Pie Stakes going seven furlongs here. Irad Ortiz Jr. picks up the mount.

Betsy Blue is one whose participation in the Go for Wand is questionable. She also is nominated to the Garland of Roses on Dec. 10.

Self Isolation, a winner of three straight races, Exotic West, Sharapova, W W Fitzy, Flight to Shanghai, and Tonal Vision complete the field.

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