C P West freshened for Wild Again start

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Fresh off winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with War Pass, Nick Zito will try to get C P West back to the winners' circle in Thursday's $75,000 Wild Again Stakes at Aqueduct, a one-mile overnight event that drew a field of eight 3-year-olds.

C P West was a debut winner at Saratoga as a juvenile in 2006, and though he hasn't won since, seven of his eight subsequent starts have come in graded stakes - six at the Grade 1 or Grade 2 level against an exceptionally deep and talented crop. Though C P West is eligible for first-level allowance conditions, the Wild Again represents a steep drop in class from the caliber of competition he is used to facing.

C P West will be making his first start since pressing the early pace and fading to fifth as the third choice in the Travers - a race that came 27 days after he ran the race of his life to finish second to Street Sense in the Jim Dandy.

"The Jim Dandy was one of his best races," agreed Zito. "He was hung out wide and he was as game as could be. He's a talented horse, but unfortunately these big dances take a toll, and they have an effect on horses that try."

A freshened C P West poses problems for the rest of the field. He is the lone entrant to have recorded triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures (twice), and a bullet workout at Saratoga last week indicates he is sitting on a big effort.

"He looked good doing it," said Zito of the drill. "Hopefully this race will get him back on the right track. This will be his last race of the year, and we'll look forward to a good 4-year-old season."

C P West will break from post 4 with Cornelio Velasquez riding. He could get some early pace pressure from Buffalo Man and Out of Gwedda, the one-two finishers in the six-furlong Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park last winter.

Buffalo Man, who is 5 for 5 in non-graded stakes starts, has trained well at Monmouth Park for his first start since winning the restricted OBS Championship at the Ocala Training Center in February.

Out of Gwedda is stretching out from a fourth-place finish in the $250,000 Gallant Bob Handicap at six furlongs.

Saratoga Lulaby, in the money in five stakes this year, and Owners Manual, third in the Jerome Handicap last out, figure to be rallying late.

Pink Viper, Bankbusted, and Giant Deputy are also entered.