Big Bazinga may return for Victoria Park Stakes

Big Bazinga, one of the leading 3-year-olds on the grounds at Woodbine, could return from a break here June 22 in the $125,000 Victoria Park Stakes, according to trainer Katerina Vassilieva.

Big Bazinga was on the Kentucky Derby trail over the winter in Florida before finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway and fourth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. After it became evident that he wouldn’t make it into the body of the Derby field, he was entered in and scratched from the Grade 2 American Turf on the same Churchill card.

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“We scratched him because he got sick just before the race,” Vassilieva said. “We brought him back home to a local farm and turned him out for a few weeks. He’s been back training for about a week and is training well.”

Vassilieva said she’s also looking at several turf stakes for Big Bazinga, including the $125,000 Toronto Cup here July 20.

** Jim Bannon will host a free handicapping seminar Saturday at Woodbine on the second floor east beginning at 11 a.m.