Condo Commando may have slight edge in Frizette
ELMONT, N.Y. – At least two handicapping factors would seem to favor Condo Commando when she meets Cavorting in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Frizette Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.
Condo Commando and Cavorting are both 2 for 2 and have won graded stakes at Saratoga. They top a seven-horse field entered in the Frizette, which offers a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.
Condo Commando drew post 6, while Cavorting got relegated to the rail, a spot that doomed Sweet Reason in this race last year. The forecast calls for rain, creating the possibility of an off track. Condo Commando won the Grade 1 Spinaway by 13 1/4 lengths in the slop at Saratoga. Cavorting has never raced over a wet track.
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Rudy Rodriguez, the trainer of Condo Commando, said he actually would prefer a dry, fast track. He does, however, like the post draw for Condo Commando, who managed to win the Spinaway from the rail.
“You don’t want to be stuck on the inside and have everybody chasing you,” said Rodriguez, who had two wins and a second in three graded stakes at Belmont last Saturday. “It’s a plus when you’re on the outside because you can see what everybody’s doing. I don’t think she has to be on the lead. We have to see how the race plays out and take it from there. She has pretty good speed out of the gate.”
The Frizette may not be a two-horse race. Feathered, a daughter of Indian Charlie trained by Todd Pletcher, comes off a 9 3/4-length maiden win going seven furlongs Aug. 31.
Wonder Gal, a New York-bred daughter of Tiz Wonderful, finished a troubled third in the Grade 2 Adirondack and gets a rider switch from Taylor Rice to Cornelio Velasquez.
Key Contenders
Cavorting (Beyers: 89-80)
◗ Breaking from the rail in a four-horse field at Belmont in July, Cavorting won her debut by 11 lengths.
◗ In the Grade 2 Adirondack, breaking from post 5 in a seven-horse field, Cavorting came from off the pace to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
“Last time, we were outside of the speed, and it made it a little easier to sit out in the clear,” said Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains Cavorting. “Here, on the inside, you don’t know what it’s going to be.”
◗ McLaughlin seemed less concerned about an off track for his filly because progeny of her sire, Bernardini, “like it wet.”
Condo Commando (Beyers: 92-85)
◗ She has won both of her starts by a combined 25 1/4 lengths in front-running fashion.
◗ Her victory in the Spinaway may look better than it was because she was the only member of the field to have handled the slop.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 By the Moon. Trainer Michelle Nevin is 11-3-2-1 with a $2.59 ROI over the past two years on dirt going sprint to route following a layoff of 31 to 44 days. Click for more details. – Dan Illman