Decision Day begins push toward Plate in Wando Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Coronation Futurity winner Decision Day will begin his local preparation for the Queen’s Plate when he faces four rivals in the $100,000 Wando Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on Woodbine’s Polytrack on Sunday.
Decision Day is the only horse in the field nominated to the Queen’s Plate and comes into the Wando off a seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes on March 7 at Gulfstream Park, where he was steadied in traffic close to the wire and finished just three lengths behind the winner.
In his other start at Gulfstream during the winter, Decision Day struggled over the dirt, finishing a distant eighth behind Kentucky Derby contenders Upstart and Frosted in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 24.
KEY CONTENDERS
Decision Day (Last 3 Beyers: 71-47-77)
◗ Decision Day won both of his two-turn starts on Woodbine’s Polytrack last season, recording a career-best 77 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Coronation Futurity.
◗ He figures to dictate the pace early from the rail under jockey Jesse Campbell.
Bear At Last (Last 3 Beyers: 74-68-65)
◗ Bear At Last has faced wide trips in recent starts but should get a manageable trip Sunday with this short field. In his last start at Gulfstream Park on March 25, he was bumped at the start and then raced five wide through the far turn before evening out late.
◗ His last start on Polytrack in the Kingarvie Stakes on Dec. 6 was similar, as Bear At Last made a quick four-wide move through the turn to get into contention but evened out in the stretch and finished third.
Seventhfleethumor (Last 3 Beyers: 85-79-67)
◗ Seventhfleethumor will make his stakes debut and his first start on Polytrack in the Wando after being claimed for $25,000 by trainer Nicholas Gonzalez and owner Martha Gonzalez two starts back at Gulfstream Park.
◗ Nicholas Gonzalez has had success in Woodbine stakes with Gulfstream claims, having won the 2013 Queen’s Plate with Midnight Aria and last season’s Woodstock Stakes with Puntrooskie. Midnight Aria also finished third in the Wando in 2013.
◗ Seventhfleethumor was an impressive winner of his last start, closing into a moderate pace to win by four lengths and earning the best last-out Beyer in this field.
Net Gain (Last 3 Beyers: 79-72-71)
◗ Net Gain ships in to Woodbine for trainer Bill Mott off a third-place finish in the Private Terms Stakes over a muddy surface at Laurel.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Mott is just 1 for 19 in Woodbine stakes races over the past five years, with that victory coming in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Handicap in 2010 with Hold Me Back.
U S Marshal (Last 3 Beyers: 75-56-82)
◗ U S Marshal has recorded his only win on Polytrack but does have better Beyers on turf.
◗ He ran three times at Gulfstream over the winter, with his best result coming Jan. 14, when he earned an 82 Beyer. He crossed the line second, beaten just a head, but was disqualified and placed fourth in that first-level optional claimer.