Ferocious Won ready to get back to work

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Ferocious Won found the nine furlongs of the Albany Handicap a tad too far when his attempt to sweep the New York-bred Triple Crown fell eight lengths short last summer at Saratoga.

Away for nearly four months, Ferocious Won returns to the races in a third-level allowance race Friday that serves as Aqueduct's featured event on a nine-race card. The $49,000 race will be run at six furlongs over the inner track.

Ferocious Won, a son of Lite the Fuse, earned his first career victory going six furlongs over the inner track on Jan. 16. He raced once a month thereafter, winning the seven-furlong Mike Lee at Belmont and the New York Derby, at 1 1/16 miles, at Finger Lakes. In the Albany, run Aug. 23 at Saratoga, Ferocious Won stalked the pace before fading badly, finishing sixth to Indian Hawke.

Had Ferocious Won, trained by Rick Dutrow. Jr., captured the Albany, he would have earned his connections a $250,000 bonus for winning the OTB-sponsored Big Apple Triple.

Sanford Goldfarb, the majority owner of Ferocious Won, knew his horse didn't want to go that far, but "how could you not run for a quarter-of-a-million-dollar bonus?"

Though he has not run since Aug. 23, Ferocious Won has remained in constant training and has worked 10 times in between starts, including a five-furlong move in 1:03.29 on Monday.

"Rick said he's doing unbelievable, but that's a very, very tough spot for a short field," said Goldfarb, who said it is possible Ferocious Won could be scratched. "His best distance is probably seven-eighths. We've been trying to run him for the last three weeks, but the race didn't fill."

Ferocious Won will be coupled in the wagering with Bucharest, who will cut back in distance while dropping in class after finishing fifth in the Alysheba Stakes at the Meadowlands on Nov. 4. In his last two starts at this level, Bucharest finished third behind Mr. Whitestone and Latent Heat.

Tony Dutrow is sending out the speedy Crafty Cammack, who finished fifth behind Afrashad in the Fall Highweight Handicap on Nov. 23. He earned triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in his two previous starts, wins at Delaware Park and Saratoga.

Call Me Tony has not been worse than third in his last six starts, and projects to get a perfect stalking trip under Eibar Coa. Ojibway is 4 for 10 over the inner track, including a narrow victory at this level last March 3.