Durkin's Call back with New York-breds in Gander Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Following his gritty nose victory in an open-company starter allowance race six weeks ago, Durkin’s Call was purchased privately by a group headed by Adam Wachtel and transferred to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Sunday, those connections figure to get a line on what type of purchase they made when Durkin’s Call heads a field of six entered in the $100,000 Gander Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds going a mile at Aqueduct.

Durkin’s Call is 2 for 8 with both of his wins coming in open company for trainer Michael Trombetta. Oddly, the three worst races of his career came against New York-breds, though two of those efforts were on turf.

In his last four starts, all at the same one-turn mile configuration as the Gander, Durkin’s Call has two wins, a neck loss when second, and a third.

Durkin’s Call got a perfect setup when he won his last start, though he had to fend off a late challenge from Twelfthofneverland, a horse who had beaten him on Jan. 6.

Durkin’s Call has worked three times since coming to Mott’s care, and Leana Willaford, who runs Mott’s New York operation, has liked what she’s seen so far.

“He’s a nice little horse, he works very well, he’s very forward, he does everything right.” Willaford said.

For the third straight race, Durkin’s Call is posted on the outside. He figures to get a stalking trip under Junior Alvarado.

“There are some horses inside that show some speed,” Willaford said. “He’ll probably be in a stalking position and that’s the way it looks on his form that he likes to run.”

Pipes, a son of Exchange Rate trained by Gary Contessa, is coming off a second-place finish to Not That Brady in the Damon Runyon Stakes here on Dec. 31. He was entered to run on turf in his first four starts, though his maiden win came when a scheduled turf race was rained off to dirt.

“Anytime you buy an Exchange Rate, you assume you’re buying a turf horse, so I had that turf mentality,” trainer Gary Contessa said. “It took me a couple of races to figure out he’s a better dirt horse.”

Kosciuszko stretched out to a mile on Feb. 7, winning a first-level allowance race by three-quarters of a length with blinkers added.

Completing the field are Captain Frost, a winner of two straight, Kadens Courage, and the overmatched maiden Ventus.

KEY CONTENDERS

Durkin’s Call, by Jump Start
Last 3 Beyers: 74-68-73

◗ Looks to do his best running with a target, which he should get here with Captain Frost and Kosciuszko in the field.

Pipes, by Exchange Rate
Last 3 Beyers: 81-75-60

◗ Does his best running with some pace in front of him, which he should get here.

◗ Did finish in front of Durkin’s Call when the two were second and third behind Just Right in an allowance race here last November.