Can You Diggit sharp for Haynesfield Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Chester and Mary Broman will have their strong New York breeding program on display Saturday with Highway Star running in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel and the uncoupled entry of Can You Diggit and Clutch Cargo performing in the $100,000 Haynesfield Stakes for New York-breds at Aqueduct.

The 4-year-olds Can You Diggit and Clutch Cargo may be the least accomplished of the six entered in the Haynesfield, but each is coming off a good race and they look to have the most upside of those in the field.

Can You Diggit, a son of Tiznow trained by Jimmy Jerkens, is coming off a second-place finish behind the multiple stakes winner Control Group in the Alex M. Robb Handicap here on Jan. 21. Last year, Can You Diggit unsuccessfully chased Twisted Tom in a trio of stakes for statebreds. Neither Control Group nor Twisted Tom is in this field.

Steve Moyer, assistant to Jerkens, said that while the one-turn mile configuration of the Haynesfield may not be ideal, Can You Diggit is doing too well to leave him in the barn.

“He ran well last time, bounced out of it super, and breezed well in the interim,” Moyer said. “It makes sense to run him.”

Clutch Cargo is coming off a first-level allowance win here on Dec. 23, beating the highly regarded Blewitt by a neck. That was Clutch Cargo’s first start on dirt since having an undescended testicle removed last summer.

“We attempted to put him back on the turf and he didn’t run any good,” said trainer Phil Serpe, who received the horse following the retirement of trainer Mike Hushion. “He had been working very good on the dirt, he beat [Blewitt], who is supposed to be a pretty good horse.”

Serpe had Clutch Cargo entered in an allowance race here on Jan. 28, but scratched him when the ridgling developed a temperature earlier that week.

That Jan. 28 allowance race was won by Uncle Sigh, who is entered back in this spot. Extinct Charm, Hit It Once More, and Papa Shot complete the field.

The Haynesfield goes as race 3 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

KEY CONTENDERS

Can You Diggit, by Tiznow
Last 3 Beyers: 93-83-89

◗ Chased loose-on-the-lead Control Group through slow fractions when second in the Alex M. Robb going two turns here on Jan. 21.

◗ Fired a bullet half-mile in 49.23 over Belmont training track on Feb. 13.

Clutch Cargo, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 89-72-70

◗ Responded with blinkers off when beating the next-out winner Blewitt in a first-level allowance going a one-turn mile here on Dec. 23.

◗ Was scratched on Jan. 28 with a temperature but has come back with a pair of stamina-building, albeit slow, workouts.

Uncle Sigh, by Indian Charlie
Last 3 Beyers: 87-80-84

◗ Trainer Rudy Rodriguez said he tried to claim the horse three times and finally got him on Dec. 1. He promptly put him on the dirt where he won an optional claimer by five lengths in the slop on Jan. 28.