Durkin's Call pays dividends with Gander Stakes triumph

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Durkin’s Call paid quick dividends following a private purchase last month by rallying from last under Junior Alvarado in a scratched-reduced field of four to win Sunday’s $100,000 Gander Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds by 7 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct.

Durkin’s Call, three to four wide down the backstretch, took over from the pacesetting Kosciuszko inside the three-sixteenths pole and drew clear emphatically. Kosciuszko held second by a neck over Pipes. It was 7 1/2 lengths back to Kaden’s Courage in fourth.

Captain Frost scratched to await a different spot, according to trainer Linda Rice. Ventus, a maiden beaten a combined 50 1/2 lengths in three career starts, also scratched.

Durkin’s Call was purchased privately by Adam Wachtel, Peter Deutsch, and Christopher Dunn from trainer Michael Trombetta following a nose victory in a starter allowance going a mile here Feb. 1. The horse was transferred to Bill Mott.

Alvarado said he worked Durkin’s Call three times in company, including with the 4-year-old colt Prompt, who won an allowance race here Friday.

“I was expecting something like he did today,” said Alvarado, who swept both weekend stakes at Aqueduct having also taken Saturday’s Correction on Startwithsilver. “Still, you have to run and see if they can transfer morning workouts to the race and I’m glad he did.”

Durkin’s Call, a son of Jump Start, covered the mile in 1:37.90 and returned $4.10 as the even-money favorite.

Alvarado said the best part of the race was the final furlong and past the wire.

“As soon as I turned for home, and put him outside in the clear after a few strides, he leveled off and finished very nice and strong,” Alvarado said. “He galloped out very good. We should have some fun with him going a mile, mile and an eighth, it shouldn’t be any problem at all for him.”

Wachtel, who wasn’t able to attend Sunday’s race due to a prior commitment, said he would talk to Mott about whether to make Durkin’s Call a late nominee to the Triple Crown series. A payment of $6,000 is due by the close of business on April 1 to make a 3-year-old eligible to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes.

“The comment afterward was Junior felt he could go on further than this,” Wachtel said by phone. “That’s something I’m going to talk to Bill about.”